Over Christmas break
by notcreativeenoughtomakeone
Summary: My sequel to dirty little secret. Odd and Aelita have been married for two and a half years,and things are going great. Then when Aelita gets a call from her adopted parents her and the family come over for Christmas.
1. She did it again

_**The story has been edited and deleted scenes will be added at the end like most of my stories. **_

**Disclaimer- I don't own code lyoko, I think everyone knows that by now.**

Odd woke up from the alarm on the nightstand buzzing loudly, filling the bedroom with noise. Groaning loudly he reached over and pressed every button but snooze or off as the alarm continued to go off. Laying up from his bed, and sliding out of the middle he pressed snooze, wanting to sleep a little more. Going back he cuddled close to Aelita who was unaffected by the alarm and was still asleep. Laying next to her and placing his arm over her body, he closed his eyes and tried to fall asleep before the alarm clock went off again. Five minutes later it did and Odd gave in and pressed off. Kissing Aelita on the cheek he pulled himself out of the bed and walked to the bathroom.

Taking a quick shower he went back into the bedroom to see Aelita was still asleep. Dressing fast he looked at the clock to see that it was almost six now.

"Aelita," Odd said nudging her slightly. Aelita slowly opened her eyes and was looking at Odd. "Time to get up," Aelita turned her body, looked at the clock and yawned.

"Already?" She asked in mid groan then stepped out of the bed, "Get Kaylie up," Odd nodded as Aelita made for the shower after kissing Odd.

Odd walked down the hall, passing the guest room and Amy's room before stopping at a closed door with pictures on it. They were definitely drawn by a little girl, all being pictures of kittens and puppies and flowers and happy things little girls usually draw poorly. Opening the door he looked in to see that Kaylie hadn't cleaned her room like she had promised, but had started to before getting an idea of how to draw another cat that looked exactly like the last one she drew.

Kaylie the two year old was laying in her bed that was recently placed there. Kaylie had begun potty training three months ago and had been doing well with it, so as a reward Odd and Aelita got her a bigger bed so she could sleep with all of her plush toys. Stepping into her room he carefully made his way through her jungle of toys before he was standing over her.

"Kaylie," Odd said playfully. She was awake when he had walked in, and was hiding under her blanket. "Where could she of gone?"

Sitting on her bed and placing his hand on her head, she began to giggle. " Man this bed's lumpy. Maybe I should beat the lumps out," He began to pretend to hit the lumps, tickling her side. Kaylie laughed hard and pulled her head out from under the blankets.

"It's me daddy," Kaylie said with a smile. Odd looked at her and smiled. Kaylie was as cute as could be. Her long blonde hair reached half way down her back, and was very untidy right now. She was wearing a pair of pink and blue pajamas that had a big headed big eyed cute kitten on the shirt. The cat had nothing on the cuteness scale that Kaylie had. Odd was a little surprised that Kaylie didn't have pink hair like her mother, but blonde hair like he did. Either way she was still very cute(I know, how many times does it have to be said?).

"Happy birthday, how old are you today, I lost count."

"I'm two."

"Oh yeah, I never was good at math. Get ready okay."

Kaylie nodded big. She enjoyed her daycare. Odd walked to her dresser and handed her the outfit that Aelita had laid out for her. Leaving the room Odd walked down stairs and into the kitchen and began to make breakfast. Odd wasn't one to be okay with just a bowl of cereal in the morning, so began to make eggs, bacon, and chocolate chip pancakes. He normally wouldn't make chocolate chip, but today was special. It was Kaylie's birthday, and Odd and Aelita's two and a half year aniversary. It was in the middle of December, and outside was a foot of snow. When breakfast was laid on the table the girls came down stairs and the family sat at the table. Aelita helped Kaylie onto her booster seat because she was fairly small. They ate with some small breakfast conversation, and then made for the front door.

Aelita helped Kaylie with her boots and coat, and then packed her shoes in her backpack with some lunch for later. Stepping into the snow, Odd locked the door and the three made to for the driveway. Aelita went to the minivan, and Odd to his car. Aelita buckled Kaylie into her seat, shutting the door after Odd kissed her goodbye.

"Remember, you're picking her up at three. I'm going to get Amy after school today. When are you getting Jason?" Aelita asked Odd who was standing next to her.

"I'm getting Jason at about two, so I'll have time. When are the guests showing?"

"Five. So I'll need you home by four thirty so we can finish decorating."

"Alright see you then." Odd kissed her, making Kaylie gag from within the car. "Love you."

"I know. Love you to. Have a good day." Odd wished her the same and went into his car. Pulling out of the driveway he waved them goodbye one more time, then drove down the street. Getting into the van she looked back at Kaylie, who seemed bored.

"Bored?" Aelita asked.

"Just tired, can we go, we're painting today," Aelita smiled, pulled of the driveway and began to make their way to the daycare center.

"What are you going to draw today?" Aelita asked, though she already knew the answer. 'A kitty kat.'

"I don't know. Probably a cute kitty kat." Aelita giggled. "But I was thinking maybe I should draw something for daddy." Aelita smiled about that.

"What are you going to draw him?"

"I don't know what he likes. Does he like cats?"

"Your daddy's a dog person. Draw him a cute dog with a big head. I think he'll like that."

"What color?"

"White." Aelita was describing Kiwi. Odd loved that dog, before he was it by car when Odd was seventeen. "Name the doggy Kiwi."

"Okay." Aelita pulled into the daycare, and her and Kaylie exited the car and entered the building. Signing her in, and helping her with her coat and shoes, showing her how she should tie them again. Kaylie had tried a few times, but didn't notice the laces she had knotted were not from the same foot.

"Bye bye mommy." Kaylie said to her mother.

"Give me a hug and kiss before I go." Aelita kneeled down and hugged her daughter, then kissed both her cheeks. Kaylie kissed her cheeks and hugged her tight. She enjoyed daycare, but didn't enjoy leaving Aelita. Mommy meant safety. Kaylie ran to play with the other kids as Aelita pulled the keys out of her purse and started the van again. Pulling back onto the road she took the same road for half an hour before pulling off and turning a few more times before pulling into the teachers parking lot at Kadic.

After she got divorced with Jeremie almost three years ago, she had quit her job, but after Jeremie and her got their tolerance for each other back, she got her job back teaching eighth grade biology. Stepping out of the car she made her way to the science department and took her coat off at the door.

The building was empty for the most part, classes starting in about twenty minutes. Going over her lesson plan for the day she drank her coffee in the teachers lounge. Hearing a knock at the open door she turned her head and saw Jeremie.

"Morning," She said politely. Jeremie walked in carrying something behind his back.

"Good morning. Finally, last day before winter break."

"Tell me about it. So today do I pick Amy up from school or at your house?"

"The house, she needs to get her stuff for the break. What do you got planned?" Jeremie asked.

The custody over Amy, Jeremie and Aelita's daughter stated that Aelita had her over Christmas and summer. But because they lived close, she saw her much more often. Aelita had no regret cheating on him with Odd, but because of Amy, she had to tolerate Jeremie. It was the best thing to do for Amy, and they both knew it. Now they're civil with each other, and can actually stand being in the same room.

"Nothing really. This year we're thinking maybe just stay around the house," Aelita answered. They hadn't planned anything for Christmas this year, so just decided to chill at home. "What about you?"

"I'm going to Emilie's Christmas week."

"How long have you two been going out for?" Aelita asked, knowing that it had been quite a long time.

"About five months. I'm thinking we should move in together. I'll run the idea by her later," Jeremie said, shifting the item behind his back some. Aelita had just noticed the item behind his back.

"What do you got there?"

"Oh," Jeremie said, pulling it from behind his back. "Just a little something for Kaylie. Tell her happy birthday from me." Jeremie handed her the present that was wrapped in paper that was a cat wearing a santa clause outfit.

"I will."

Aelita went through the classes for the day, wishing everyone a good winter break before they left her class. In her sixth hour class, they asked her a few questioned about her marriage.

"What's it like being married to a billionaire?" A kid asked her. She got that question at least twice a week. Many rumors around the school were that she married him for money. Most of the students knew it wasn't true. If she married him for money, why was she still teaching? She'd give them a fair answer, then mention that it was her daughters birthday.

"It's Kaylie's birthday?" A girl who Aelita was pretty much friends with asked excitedly. Aelita nodded her head and showed the class a picture of Kaylie. "She's so cute. And she's only two." Aelita after class was finished for the day she graded a few papers, the kids getting great scores, making her happy that they were understanding the material. Putting her coat on after an hour of grading she drove to Jeremie's and picked up Amy.

* * *

Odd had already picked up his son Jason from his ex and was pulling into the daycare. Jason looked more like Sissi at his age so far. He was half a foot taller than Odd was at eleven, luckily inheriting height from his mother not his father. He had raven black hair like his mother, but acted much more like Odd. Odd and Jason don't look much alike, but if the two stood next to each other, you could tell they were father son.

"Wait here," Odd said to his eleven year old son before he opened his door and stepped out. Jason turned the music up and lay his head against the car seat. Stepping into the daycare he stepped to the desk that was currently unoccupied. An employee walked to the desk as Odd asked for his daughter. A few minutes later Kaylie walked out with a towel over her head, covering her hair that was obviously wet. A daycare watcher looked at Odd with a laugh.

"She did it again Mr. Robbia."

"Again? That's the third time in the last month." Odd looked down at Kaylie who smiled at him, then looked away. She knew she was trouble. "Why did you even give her the paint?"

"We didn't, she found it. She even used a chair to get to it."

"How much paint was it this time?"

"Not as much as last time, but it may take a few hours to get it out." Odd looked at her again, and laughed. It was happening so often now, he was starting to find it funny.

"Come on squirt," Odd and Kaylie left the building, and got into the car.

"Jason!" She shouted excitedly. She loved her older brother. They were only half siblings, but no one could tell they weren't, and quite frankly neither did they care. To them, half or full, they were still related and that was good enough. Standing up from her seat she kissed him on the cheek.

"Hey Kay," Jason said but didn't return the kiss, he was too 'cool' to kiss family. "Sit down so we go home." Kaylie sat back down as Odd buckled her into the car seat and got behind the wheel. Jason turned around and laughed loudly.

"She did it again?" Odd nodded, then laughed shaking his head.

Odd pulled his cell phone out of his pocket and called Aelita who was helping Amy unpack her suitcase into her dresser for the break. "Yes dear?" She asked.

"Run a bath, she did it again."

"Again? That's the third time this month. She picked a heck of a day too." Aelita said, thinking about the guest coming over later, and watching her language around Amy. Hell almost slipped.

"I know. See you in about five." They both said bye and hung up.

When they got home, Jason went to his room in the house and began to unpack as Odd and Aelita took Kaylie to the bathroom where Aelita had ran a warm bath.

"Take the towel off," Aelita said to her with a laugh. Kaylie pulled off the damp towel that was stained pink from pink paint. The paint had almost covered all of her hair, some areas having more paint than others. Kaylie got undressed and sat in the bath as Odd and Aelita began to wash her hair out.

"Why do you keep doing this?" Aelita asked her.

"I want pink hair like you and Amy."

"Your hair is perfect the way it is. I think it's better than our hair."

"Not it's not mom," Said Amy from the door. Kaylie looked at her sister who brushed long perfect pink hair mockingly. "Pink is the best." Amy walked away, knowing she had upset Kaylie.

"See. You two are beautiful, I can't be like that with blonde hair." Aelita shook her head, scrubbing more paint out of Kaylie's hair. "Ouwie!" Kaylie exclaimed when Aelita scrubbed too hard.

"Sorry, but you should of known this would happen."

"I'm sorwy," Kaylie said, accidentally mispronouncing her R.

It took an hour and a half and three tubs of water, but they managed to get it t of her hair. While Odd dried her off Aelita went into her room and took out every marker, crayon, highlighter, and anything she could use to color her hair pink again.

Kaylie didn't like her hair. She wanted her mother's hair, and envied her sister greatly. Every now and then, she'd find some pink paint, and try again. It was the fifteenth time it had happened, and Aelita was getting a little annoyed. But after the tenth time, they were starting to find it funny. They were planning on bathing her before her party anyway.

_I read a review saying I should write a sequel. It's a humor this time, not a drama. The cheating is over, and the comedy begins. R/R please, thanx_


	2. First kiss

Aelita helped Kaylie pick out what she should wear for her party, as Odd and Jason finished the decorations. After ten minutes of intense brainstorming and stepping in and out of the mirror, Kaylie had decided on what she should wear. Aelita did Kaylie's hair, braiding it into a long strand with several clips to keep in place. Kaylie did Aelita's hair as well. she had enjoyed doing her hair ever since she was six months old when she barely had any hand control. Aelita and Kaylie laughed for a few minutes placing their hair in a few fun fashions, before they left it as is. When they finally came out of her room when she was ready, she was wearing a dress that was several shades of pink. The sleeves of the dress were fluffy and big. The dress reached just over her ankles as she made down the stairs excited.

The decorations around the house were already finished. Several parts of the house had ' happy birthday' ribbons reaching from wall to wall. A table had been placed to stack the presents on, that already had a few stacked on it. Three were from Aelita and Odd, one from Jeremie, and one was from Jason and Sissi.

Kaylie ran to the table and just looked at them. She was going to ask to open just one, but knew that wasn't going to happen until after they had cut the cake. After admiring the gifts for a few minutes she ran into the kitchen to see Odd and Jason playing war at the table.

"How do I look?" She asked everyone. She spun around once so they could get a three sixty perspective of her outfit.

"Very cute, just like a princess," Odd said looking at her. Kaylie ran over and gave him a hug and ran to show Amy. Odd flipped a card over and saw that Jason had beaten his king with an ace. "You're cheating aren't you?"

Kaylie ran back upstairs, her excitement still exploding out of her. Passing two rooms she found her sister on her bed reading a magazine.

"How do I look?" Amy ignored her and kept reading. "Amy?" Amy kept her head in her magazine, having heard her but just wanting her to go away. Kaylie ran over and tugged on her arm a few times. "Amy?"

"What?" Amy shouted at her, dropping her magazine to her bed.

"How do I look?" Kaylie stood there, still excited and waiting for her response.

"You look fine, get out of my room," Amy said to her. Kaylie ran out of the room and went to show everyone else again. "Annoying little pest aren't you," Amy said picking up the magazine and kept reading, having to find the place she left off at. She could still hear Kaylie down stairs and walked across her room and closed her door, locking it behind her. Walking back to her bed she began to read another article and read an interesting fact that got her worried about herself.

* * *

At five the guest began to show up. Ulrich, Yumi, and their kids showed up. Yuka their eighteen year old only came because she heard two words, cake and ice cream. 'Free' cake and ice cream, nothing better than free food. Michael their ten year old had an option, go here or stay at grandma and grandpa's all day. Lesser of two evils to him. Anthony their eight year old came because he was friends with Amy. They dropped five presents on the table, one from each of them. A few kids from the daycare showed up, dropping a few more on the table.

The adults talked in kitchen as the kids went into the living room, playing several games from hide and seek to other party games. Amy just crossed her arms and watched, thinking she was too ' old ' for kid games. Jason had not problem having fun, even Yuka was bored enough.

At about six they turned off the lights in the kitchen and Kaylie sat in front of a cake with two candles on it. They sang her happy birthday, Amy mumbling it. They finished as Kaylie closed her eyes and blew the candles out. Everyone clapped for her, Amy rolling her eyes and waiting for a piece of cake to be handed to her. The cake was distributed out amongst the party goers young and old. Kaylie began to open her presents and reading birthday cards. Aelita and Odd got her new teddy bear( like she needed another bear) a poster she could color( the poster was of a cat of course, she loves cats), and an i pod which they'd show her how to use later. Others gifts spanned from a camera, a few dolls, a game for the computer, and a paint set.

Aelita saw that pink was one of the colors so picked it up and said, "We'll put this with the other gifts." She handed it to Odd and whispered, "Hide that." Odd nodded with a smile and walked out of the room. Opening the cards she found gift cards, and money that Aelita held on to for her, she knew Kaylie would lose it.

"Is that it?" she asked Kaylie. Kaylie nodded and was about to move before Jason stopped her.

"No, there is one more thing, and it's in your room." Kaylie looked up at Aelita who nodded, letting her go see what it was. Kaylie got to the foot of the stairs before Jason said, "Hold on, no peaking." He put his hands over her eyes as her Jason, Odd, and Aelita made their way upstairs. Jason opened Kaylie's door and they stepped in with her eyes still covered.

"Can I open them yet?" Kaylie asked her voice anxious.

"Surprise," Jason said then removed his hands from her eyes and Kaylie looked at her gift. It was small, white, and fluffy.

"A KITTY!" Kaylie ran to her bed and looked at her kitten. Aelita and Odd had been debating whether or not they should get her one. Kaylie did listen to them, didn't misbehave and almost never forgot about her few responsibilities. After Jason and Sissi asked if they could get her one, they decided she was capable of taking care of one.

"What's its name?" Kaylie asked his mother.

"It's yours honey, what do you want to name it?" Kaylie carefully thought about that. Then she remembered today that she had forgotten to do something. She forgot to paint a picture for Odd in daycare. When she saw the pink paint, she let it slip her mind. Noticing she felt a little bad about it found a way to make up for it.

"Kiwi, Her name is Kiwi." Odd smiled at her. He looked at Aelita and instantly knew she was involved in that somehow.

"It's a great name," Odd said to her.

* * *

Amy was sitting next to Anthony, both of them watching Kaylie show off Kiwi to everyone. Anthony was on his third piece of cake as the party began to focus on Kiwi. All of the preschool kids were in awe at her cuteness, and the two were a little sick of it already. Amy suddenly remembered something then began to think.

'Maybe Anthony can help with my problem.' Looking at him she asked, " You want to go to my room and get away from these stupid little kids." He nodded, in desperate need of some entertainment. They took the stairs away from everyone and walked into her room as Amy jumped on her bed and crossed legged, laying her back against the wall. Anthony sat on her bed cross legged, but not leaning against the wall.

"Nothing but kid games, I'd rather be at my grandparents house than this," Anthony said to her.

"Tell me about it," Amy said to him. She looked at the magazine on her nightstand and remembered why she had come upstairs. "I was reading a magazine and I read something that got me nervous."

"Why?" Anthony asked. Amy showed him the article and she continued.

"It says here that on average a girl gets her first kiss at age six." Anthony looked at her strangely.

"So what?"

"I'm almost nine! And I haven't, what's wrong with me?"

"Nothing is wrong with you. I haven't had a kiss either." Amy looked at her magazine.

"It says boys on average age six as well. What is wrong with us?"

"Nothing, we're fine." Amy looked down then began to think. 'Maybe he can help.' she thought again. At first she thought a little advice might work, but now maybe he could physically help.

"Will you kiss me?" Amy asked him. Anthony quickly looked at her nervously. 'What did she just ask me?"

"Huh?"

"Will you kiss me? Please, if we kiss each other, then we're a little behind, but not too far behind." Amy looked at him again, trying to guess his answer from his facial expression and posture. Anthony looked at her, trying to make up his mind. No one was watching, it would be kept a secret. Plus, he was bored.

"Okay," he finally said.

Amy smiled and then quickly uncrossed her legs and crawled across her bed. Sitting up on her knees, Anthony did the same. They sat close to each other, facing each other, waiting for the other to move first. Both were nervous as could be, their heart rates going dangerously high. Amy's mouth went dry as did his and Anthony closed his eyes first. Amy took his lead and did the same, both leaning in slowly and blind. They kept moving, waiting for impact. Then Amy felt his lips hit hers and her heart jumped. Then Amy felt a flash hit her eyes, and she quickly opened them. Standing at her door was Jason with his camera. The picture printed as he began to shake it, wanting to image to show up faster.

"JASON!" Jason laughed as Amy jumped off her bed and began to chase him around the house. "Give me it!" Amy demanded as they ran around tables, chairs and people who didn't know what was going on. Amy was stopped when Odd grabbed her and Jason stopped.

"Knock it off," He said to both of them.

"Tell him to give me that picture!" Amy shouted him. Odd looked at Jason was still had the camera and the picture that was already showing Amy's and Anthony's kiss.

"Jason," Odd said with his arm extended. Jason walked over and handed him the camera and the picture. Odd looked at the picture and held back a laugh. No wonder she desperately wanted the picture. "Amy, he won't do it again, and I'll destroy the picture." Amy nodded and walked away as Odd made sure she was out of ear shot.

"Good camera angle, how many copies should we make." Jason laughed as he hit his father's fist.


	3. Cruel Joke

On the fifteenth of December, two days after Kaylie's birthday Amy was sitting on her bed reading the same magazine she got her idea from. She was still embarrassed about Jason taking a picture of her and Anthony kissing, but at least no one else saw the picture. Last she knew of course. Just sitting there she was very bored. Flipping a page she continued to read as Kaylie walked into her room wearing a large pink coat, boots, and mittens.

"What do you want twerp?" Amy asked her after looking away from her magazine.

"Me and Jason are going sledding. Wanna come?" Kaylie asked her. Amy looked at her clock, seeing it was almost noon. Realizing how desperate for entertainment she was, shrugged and started to get her stuff ready.

The three went out the front door with two sleds and a snow board, and made their way across the street and to the park. Climbing the steep hill on the side, avoiding kids who were already sledding, Jason carried Kaylie's sled for her and then dropped it on top of the slope. Kaylie sat on her sled and grabbed the robes as Jason asked her if she was ready. Kaylie nodded Jason pushed her down as she went down the hill. Buckling his feet into the snow board he jumped down the hill after her.

Amy watched the two go down the hill, then decided she'd do it better. Getting a running start she held her sled in front of her and ran toward the hill. Jumping she hit the sled chest first, that got stuck on an uncovered rock making her slide off her sled and down the hill. Rolling over she slid down for twenty feet on her back, hit a hump, fell to her chest, rolled again, and rolled the rest of the way day. The last time she rolled she was sliding on her back and had stopped in front of Jason and Kaylie who had seen the whole thing, and were holding back laughter. Amy was about to say something before her sled hit her on the head.

* * *

"You need to be a little more careful when sledding," Aelita said to Amy who was sitting in the kitchen chair as Aelita prepared a bag of ice for her head. Walking over she handed her the bag and said, "Want me to kiss it?"

"Like that helps mom," Amy said holding the ice pack to her head and walking out of the kitchen. Aelita shook her head and began to make lunch. While she made lunch she was thinking. 'Two years ago she'd have me kiss every injury. Make it feel better mommy. I hate to say it, but those days are almost over.'

Amy walked back upstairs and sat on her bed with the ice pack attached to it firmly. Throwing off her wet socks she let the ice pack go and felt her head. A small bump was forming and was turning red. She touched it once, and let out silent complaint, replacing it with the ice pack. Laying her head against her pillow she sat there and let the ice pack rest against her head.

Hearing the door shut and the laughter of her half and step siblings she groaned because they had fun and she hadn't. It seemed whenever she tried to have something remotely familiar to fun, she got hurt. She tried to play soccer, ball to the face. Tried to play tag, fell down hard. Played hide and seek, everyone quit the game and never told her. So last year she decided fun wasn't for her.

Jason walked by talking to Kaylie then continued on to his room as Kaylie stood at Amy's door. "Is youw head okay?" Kaylie asked, her R not so wonderfully pronounced.

"It's fine, leave me alone," Amy said to her sister, not wanting to be mean but wanting to be alone.

"Did mommy kiss it?" Amy looked at her. 'What a baby,' she said to herself.

"Get out of my room twerp."

"Are you okay?" Amy was getting annoyed. 'What do I have to say to her to make her leave?' Then she had an idea.

"Hey Kaylie, do you know why my hair is pink?" Kaylie nodded big.

"Because mommy's is pink," Kaylie answered, knowing kids should look like their parents.

"Then why isn't yours pink? We have the save mother, but why is yours blonde?"

"I don't know." Amy smiled before facing her again as she stood up off her bed and began to walk over to her.

"You mean, you haven't figured it out?"

"Figured what out?"

"You're adopted. Mommy isn't your real mommy." Kaylie looked at her in disbelief. "I just thought you should know."

Amy walked back to her bed as Kaylie went into tears and ran out of her room. Closing and locking her door Kaylie dove onto her bed and began to cry into her pillow. Amy closed her door and began to laugh. Finally some steam was let off. Nothing like getting yourself up by putting another down. Amy jumped on her bed, forgetting about her headache she opened her nightstand and pulled out a crossword puzzle. Opening it she took out the pen that she was using as bookmark and went to work.

* * *

Aelita called the kids down for lunch and only Jason came running down the stairs. "Amy, Kaylie!" Aelita shouted up the stairs. Listening closely she heard music and knew it was Amy. Walking up the stairs she knocked on Amy's door. "Lunch."

"Be out in a minute!" Amy shouted from her room. Aelita walked past her room and went to Kaylie's.

"Kaylie, lunch," She said softly. When she heard no answer she turned the door knob to see it was locked. "Kaylie, unlock the door sweetie."

"Go away!" Kaylie shouted from within her room.

"What's wrong Kaylie," Aelita said concerned. This wasn't like Kaylie at all. "Kaylie?"

"Leave me alone!" Kaylie shouted.

Aelita shook her head and walked to her bedroom. Opening her dresser drawer she dug through some bras and panties and pulled out a set of keys to the house. She hid them there because she knew it would be the last place the kids would look, or want to look. Walking back to Kaylie's room she found the key for her room and placed it in the key slot. Turning the key she heard a click then turned the knob. Walking into her room she saw that Kaylie was in her bed, in an ocean of tears, trying to cry herself to sleep.

"Kaylie what's wrong?" Aelita walked over to Kaylie slowly. Sitting on her bed next to her she tried to pull her up but to no avail. Kaylie pulled herself back down to her pillow. "Kaylie?"

"You lied to me," Kaylie mumbled.

"When did I do that?"

"My entire life," Kaylie mumbled again. "I know why my hair isn't pink."

"What are you talking about?"

"I'm adopted." Aelita looked at her in puzzled. "I know okay." Aelita shook her head in disbelief.

"Kaylie, I know you really want pink hair, but that doesn't mean I'm not your mother," Aelita said, pulling her up. Kaylie let her and then Aelita picked her up and stood up off her bed. "I'm your mommy no matter what you look like." Kaylie's tears weren't as severe now, but they were still coming.

"Let's get some food okay." Aelita carried her down the stairs, forgetting about Amy with her current situation. Kaylie's arms were wrapped around Aelita's neck and Aelita carried her to the living room. Sitting her on the couch she crouched down and looked at her. "Stop crying, everything is alright." Kaylie nodded and wiped her tears away with her sleeve.

"How do I know your weally my mommy?" Kaylie asked the shock of the cruel joke still not gone.

"Two reasons, your birth certificate. And your nose." Kaylie looked at her. "Touch my nose," Kaylie touched her Aelita's nose. "Touch your nose," Kaylie touched her own nose. "Now, don't they feel exactly the same?" Kaylie nodded, not sure but wanting to agree. "Then that proves I'm your mommy, we have the same nose." Aelita pulled her face close to hers and rubbed her nose with against hers. Kaylie laughed as Aelita kissed both her cheeks and smiled at her. "Why do you think you're adopted?"

"Because she told me I was," Kaylie answered.

"Who told you?" Aelita asked, though she had figured this out by now. Kaylie looked at her and told her.

* * *

Amy had been sitting on her bed for half an hour after she sent Kaylie away in tears. Circling a word she smiled to herself about how fast she had found it. The crossword puzzle was an item she read for usually one condition. Amy usually did crossword when she knew she'd be in trouble soon. Knowing she'd get caught she'd sit there; learn new words, hoping to use those words to make a speech to defend herself later. How was she going to explain this, she thought. 'Mom will believe Kaylie because she's Kaylie.' Sighing she began to look for another word she had never seen, heard, or used before. Then what she had been waiting to hear, she heard.

"AMY!" Aelita shouted from downstairs. 'crap.' Flipping the book over so she wouldn't loose her place she walked across her room and placed her hand on the door knob. Taking a deep breath she opened the door and stepped into the hallway.

"AMY!" Aelita shouted again. Amy turned and began to walk down the stairs and walked into the living room where her mother was. One word could describe her attitude right now. Pissed.

"Why did you tell your sister she's adopted?" Amy stood there, looking stupid without an answer. "Why?"

"She was annoying me. It was a joke," Amy said to her. Aelita looked at her, still angry.

"Does your sister find it very funny?" Amy looked at Kaylie, and noticed that she didn't find it funny.

"No," Amy answered putting her head down, breaking her mothers glare.

"Tell her you're sorry." Amy looked up at her, seeing she couldn't get around this. Swallowing her pride she took a step to her sister and looked down at her. Kaylie's eyes were still a little moist from old tears. "Amy," Aelita said after five seconds.

"Kaylie, I'm sorry."

"For what?" Aelita asked her. Aelita was making this as humiliating as possible.

"For telling you, you were adopted. You're not adopted, it was a cruel joke and I will never do it again." Kaylie looked at her. Kaylie knew Amy was being forced to apologize.

"No you're not," Kaylie said to her.

"Kaylie," Aelita said to her.

"Apology accepted."

"Good. Amy you're grounded till Christmas Eve. Go to your room."

"WHAT! I said I was sorry."

" Doesn't mean your off the hook." Amy stormed upstairs and slammed her door shut. " Kaylie. Go get Kiwi, I bet she's hungry." Kaylie nodded and ran upstairs, tripping on a step but recovering quickly. Aelita giggled, ' You'd think she'd figure out that her legs aren't long enough to run up the stairs by now.' Kaylie ran by Amy's room, who opened her door and glared at Kaylie.

" Why are you suck a little cry baby!" Amy said to her.

" I'm not a cry baby," Kaylie said to her.

" Mommy this, mommy that. Why do you have to cry about everything?" Kaylie looked at her without an answer. " Why are you suck a little baby."

" Hey Amy," Jason said to her from the stairs. Amy turned her head and looked at him. " Did it ever cross your mind that Kaylie is a baby. And the reason she cries is because your suck a little brat." Amy looked at him and stepped out of her room. She stood next to Jason and glared at him. " Oh I'm scared now." Amy was about to hit him, before she remembered she was grounded, and Jason was alot bigger than she was. Amy hated her short stature. At school she was, shrimp, midget, Amy the ant, and several other insults. Walking to her room she slammed her door shut again. " Come on Kaylie, let's leave Amy to mope."

* * *

Aelita walked down the basement stairs later that night carrying a laundry basket. Carrying it over to the washer where Odd was moving the laundry into the dryer. Odd had been home for three minutes and Aelita hadn't kissed him yet, so did when she dropped the basket next to the washer. Odd started the dryer and began to fold clothes as Aelita filled the washer with the kids clothes. " Hope your day went better than mine." Odd said to her.

" Not at all. Amy got hurt sledding, then later said something really mean to Kaylie." Aelita said to him discribing her day.

" Is Amy okay?"

" Just a bump on the head. But later she told Kaylie, that she was adopted." Odd shook his head in disbelief. Then he realized that if Amy said it, it was believable. " Amy is becoming a little brat."

" She got hurt sledding," Odd asked. " Who gets hurt sledding?"

" Amy obviously. I swear she's accident proned when it comes to fun. She tries to hard at it. She thinks she needs to be the best at everything, then tries to hard and fails miserably."

" A high climb means a high fall."

" Exactly. Then she tells Kaylie she's adopted. You should of seen her. I felt so bad for a minute because I had no clue what she was crying about. I hate seeing her cry. Kaylie is always happy and when she isn't, it's like the universe is off balance, making everyone sad."

" Did you ground her?"

" Till eve."

" In her room?"

" Yes."

" How is that grounded. She has a tv, computer, radio, stereo. It's like us going on vacation in Hawaii because someone wanted to punish us. She spends all of her time in her room anyway. She's not grounded, trust me." Odd explained. Aelita started the washer and leaned against it. " We could move her stuff out." Aelita thought about that, then saw the fuse box.

" I have a better idea." Odd looked at what she was looking at and nodded in approval. Aelita opened the fuse box and found the switch for Amy's room, then flipped it down.

" MOM!" Shouted Amy from her room. Foot steps lead from the floor above then down to the basement. " The power's out." She saw Aelita close the fuse box then looked around seeing only her room was shut off. " That's cheating."

" If I say your grounded, you better believe me." Amy ran down the stairs and stood in front of her mom.

" What am supposed to do without tv or computer?" Aelita took a step next to her and leaned in. Her face was an inch from hers when she spoke.

" Read a book."

" My power is off. I don't have light."

" Not my problem." Amy grunted angry and stomped up the stairs. Aelita waited to hear her door slam shut before leaving the fuse box. Opening a drawer she took out a lock and locked the box. Just in case Amy decided to take things into her own hands. Odd was still folding clothes when he pulled out something black and let it drop open to see what it was. It was an extremely sexy pair of black panties.

" Hey honey," Odd said to her. Aelita turned around to see him holding the panties. " Are these yours or mine" asked Odd with humor in his voice. Aelita smiled and walked over to him, grabbing the underwear.

" There mine. Want me to put them on?" Aelita kissed him, pushing him against the dryer. wrapping her arms around his back.

" See you in the room in about five." Aelita smiled and walked back the stairs in the sexiest way she could think of, taking the panties with her. Odd finished the laudry, and ran after her.


	4. A mans greatest fear, the in laws

Next morning the sun came up, and Aelita and Odd slept in because it was Saturday. Currently the alarm clock said it was one in the afternoon. The kids were up and about, Jason on the couch playing video games, Amy was trying to find the code to the lock on the fuse box before her mother woke up, and Kaylie was walking upstairs still in her pajamas dragging her teddy bear behind her. Kiwi, as curious as her owner climbed the stairs after her, quite literally with her still being a kitten. Kaylie tripped on the stairs again, but fell forward as she always did. Pulling her teddy bear up the stairs she continued to her parent's room and knocked on the door.

"Mommy?" She asked then waited a few seconds to hear her reply. "Daddy?" Kiwi had grabbed the teddy bears leg with her claws as Kaylie grabbed the door knob and turned it open.

Dragging the bear and the kitten with her, Kaylie stepped into her parent's room. Walking over to her mother's side of the bed, she saw Aelita was facing her with Odd's arm wrapped around her. The blanket was a little below her neck, only her head showing. Again they were in the center of the bed.

"Mommy," Kaylie whispered to her mother, not loud enough. Aelita could sleep through the alarm, a whisper from a two year old girl won't work. Kaylie pulled herself onto the bed, which was a difficult task for her, so left the teddy bear and Kiwi on the floor wrestling.

Pushing Aelita's arm she said, "Mommy get up." Aelita opened her eyes that were barely open. Looking around in a tired gaze she found Kaylie next to her.

"Kaylie, it's too early," Aelita said, digging her head back into her pillow.

"It's past noon mommy. You told me to only wake you up if you slept past noon. It's one." Aelita pulled her head up and looked over Odd's shoulder and saw the alarm clock. 'I had to give her a reason to wake me up?' Aelita asked herself, wanting to sleep.

"Alright thanks sweetie," Aelita said, kissing Kaylie's forehead. Remembering something she asked, "Could you get my robe for me, it's the pink one in the bathroom."

"Okay." Kaylie climbed off the bed and ran across the room and into the bathroom. "This one?" Kaylie asked, showing her a purple robe.

"That's daddy's robe. The one next to it," Aelita said then said to herself 'Her of all people should know pink.' Kaylie showed her the robe and Aelita nodded. Running back into the room, she handed her mother the robe as Aelita looked back at her. "Thanks. Go down stairs okay." Kaylie nodded and grabbed the teddy bears arm and began to drag him back into the hallway, before she hit her head on the doorframe.

"Kaylie!" Aelita threw the blanket off her and the robe on, showing she was only in panties for a brief second. "Look at me sweetie." Kaylie had hit the door frame fairly hard. A red mark was already showing, the hit knocking her to the ground. Kiwi saw her falling so moved under the bed for protection. Kaylie was crying quite a bit from the hit.

Aelita looked at her for head that seemed to be the only place to get hit. Her crying woke up Odd who lay up and looked at Aelita who was picking up Kaylie and walking her into the bathroom. "What happened?" Odd asked, seeing his daughter crying.

"She hit her head again," Aelita said as if this accrued a lot, which it did. But they weren't getting used to it even how routine it was. Every hit was worse than the one before, so Kaylie wasn't getting used to it either. Sitting her on the sink she leaned in to examine her head.

"You okay, where does it hurt?" Kaylie didn't answer, she just kept crying. "Is it here?" Aelita asked, pointing at her red forehead. Kaylie nodded twice as Aelita looked closer. "No biggy, just a little bump. You're going to live alright. Want me to kiss it?" Kaylie nodded big, she would have nodded twice but Aelita had already kissed it.

Kaylie's tears weren't falling anymore, so Aelita picked up a towel on the towel rack and wiped her tears off and then helped her down. "Be careful, walk slower and look forward." Kaylie left the bathroom and grabbed her bear, and left the room, Kiwi following shortly behind her.

Walking back into the bedroom she looked back at Odd who was still lying up. He was looking at her like he was last night. Like she was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. Aelita returned the complementary gaze with a smile and then walked over to her dresser drawer. Pulling out a set of clothes, she stepped into the bathroom, leaving the door ajar. Aelita started the water and then began to smile, hoping her leaving the door open would bait Odd to join her. After a minute she heard the door shut, and the shower curtain be pulled back and someone step in. Turning around she saw Odd, and gave him his morning kiss.

* * *

Odd left to get something from the store as Aelita began to help Kaylie set up her ipod she got for her birthday. Odd was driving when his phone rang. Looking at who was calling he groaned and answered it, knowing she'd again and again if he didn't pick up.

"What Sissi?" Odd asked his ex-wife.

"You sound grumpy," Sissi said back to him.

"Well when you call me, I usually get a little mean." Sissi giggled on the other side of the line. "What is it?" Odd asked seriously this time.

"I got back Jason's grades for the semester," Sissi said, a little tense.

"Read them off," Odd said, knowing if she called him about his grades, they weren't good.

"Science B, English B, gym A plus, what else would you expect. Writing C minus, History A, Art A plus."

"A C in writing, not that bad, it could be better, I'll tell him to bring it up."

"C minus," Sissi corrected.

"What ever."

"That's not why I called. Our son got an F in math." Odd put the phone away from his ear and took an angry breath. "Calm down. There has to be a reason."

"There is no reason to fail a class Sissi," Odd said to her in a angry tone.

"Go easy on him."

"No I won't."

"Just because you never graduated doesn't mean he won't Odd." Odd clicked the phone off and threw it into the back. Odd hated bringing up that embarrassing truth. The president of a multi billion dollar industry, a high school dropout. After the press he had from the affair with Aelita, the last thing he wanted was press on him again. The phone rang again, Odd knowing it was Sissi, answered and hung up in the same second.

* * *

Aelita was helping Kaylie put music on her ipod. Kaylie at this age only listened to G rated music, so it was all happy and kid things. The phone rang and Aelita stood up off the chair at the computer. Picking up the portable on the wall she checked to see who it was, and smiled.

"Hello?" Aelita asked though she already knew who it was.

"Aelita, how are you doing?" A female voice asked.

"I'm good mom," Aelita said to her adopted mother, though to her she felt as if she was her real mother. "Did you get the girls latest pictures?"

"Got them today, Kaylie is so adorable. Then again so are you so I'm not that surprised."

"Yeah but I'm not that cute. You have to see her in person. I know I've been distant since the divorce." Aelita said a little ashamed of herself.

"You have. How's Odd?"

"Good. Everything is good."

"What are you doing for Christmas?" Her mother asked, the reason she had really called.

"Why?" Aelita asked, figuring she wanted something that involved that topic.

"Your father and I were wondering if you'd want to fly in to see us. Odd and the girls as well of course, we'll pay for the flight. Your brothers are coming as well," She said, referring to the two other children they adopted when they adopted Aelita.

"I don't think it'll work. I mean Odd only has Jason twice a year, and I don't want him to miss that."

"Take Jason with you. The more the merrier."

"You're saying you'll put up with Odd, the girls, Jason, Chris, Sean, and me for Christmas?"

"And Sean's kids, you remember Kelly and Bianca right?"

Aelita remembered her nieces. Sean got his girl friend pregnant after senior year, so ended up getting married way to early. He was the youngest between the three, a year younger than Aelita and had a nineteen year old daughter named Bianca. Kelly was five with short red hair and big glasses she hated. Two years ago he got a divorce, and was trying to hold his family together.

Chris however was happily married for awhile, before a tragic day. When he was thirty, he and his wife decided they were ready to have baby. She got pregnant, almost immediately. Nine months later, the baby and his wife died in labor. Chris was never the same again. He was the oldest of the three, the one the others looked up to growing up. Chris was forty now, and miserable. His family tried to help him as much as possible, but he was too broken to be fixed. Aelita let the secret about the abortion she had in college go, but didn't tell Chris when she told her family. It wouldn't be fair, her not wanting a child and taking hers away, then him wanting one and losing two people at once.

"I'll ask Odd," Aelita said then ended the phone call.

* * *

Odd opened the door to the house and threw the item he left to get on the table. Walking into the living room he saw Jason playing games. Stepping next to him he picked up the TV remote and turned off the TV. "Hey!" Jason shouted.

"You're grounded. I said if you failed no games till they're up." Jason placed the remote on the coffee table and looked at his father.

"I can explain."

"No you can't. There is no explanation for an F. No games till the F is a C." Jason looked away from his dad angry.

"Can I at least expalin myself." Odd looked at him.

"Fine, why?"

"The teacher doesn't like me," he said honestly.

"That's why I don't let you explain yourself. You blame someone else. You're still grounded." Odd walked over and turned the game off and walked out of the room. Seeing Aelita on the table he sat down next to her after kissing her.

"Two are down this year," Odd said after sitting down.

"You grounded Jason?" Aelita asked.

"Grades," Odd said as his reason. Looking at Aelita, he saw she was going to ask him something. "What is it?"

"My parents called. They want to know if we want to go to Paris for Christmas."

"You and the girls?" Odd asked.

"The girls, you, me, and Jason if he wants to," Aelita said to him.

"I don't see why not. You haven't visited since Amy was Kaylie's age. But I don't know."

"My parents won't hurt you."

"It's a guy thing, the fear of the in laws. I've never met them personally."

"Yes you have. When we were sixteen, that summer when they invited the gang over for a week."

"Yeah, but at that point of time, I wasn't married to you. Now they have a reason to hate me."

"They won't hate you. Either way, if you're not going, me and the girls are. So, all of us, or you and Jason alone." Odd didn't want to be away from his wife for Christmas.

"Fine, but when we get back, you're wearing the sexy underwear again." Aelita smiled and nodded. "I'll go run the idea by Jason." Aelita stood up off the chair and kissed him when she walked by.

Odd stepped back into the living room where Jason had decided to read a book. "We're actually going somewhere for Christmas this year."

"Where?" Jason asked, not looking up from his book.

"Paris, to see Aelita's parents. You can come, or go to your mothers for the remainder of the break." Jason lowered his book, but didn't look at his father.

"What's the catch?"

"No catch. Vacation in Paris, or at your moms. Which she is by the way, more pissed off about your grades than I am," Odd lied, him definitely being more angry. But hey, Jason didn't know his mothers opinion. Plus he knew how his mother could be.

"Vacation, or grounded with mom. Hmm...vacation." Jason said.

"Start packing. Bring the games to."

"I thought I was grounded?" Jason asked, trying to find the catch.

"I said no catch." Jason nodded. His father was always good for his word.


	5. Flight boarding

Two days later at six in the morning the house came alive with everyone taking showers and Odd making breakfast. The plane boarding at ten a.m. and they need to be there by eight to get through security and check in. Aelita's father had booked the flight for them so all they needed to do was pick up the tickets at the airport. Jason walked down the stairs after he finished his shower, putting on a shirt at the same time. Pulling it down he sat at the table as his father placed a plate of eggs, bacon, sausage, and pancakes in front oh him. Kaylie was already in her seat at the table as they heard the bathroom door close from Amy upstairs.

Everyone was at the table as Aelita helped Kaylie cut her pancakes. Odd was still working on Amy's and his own breakfast when they heard a scream from upstairs. Everyone leaned in the next room and looked up the stairs as they heard the bathroom door slammed shut. Amy was soaking wet as she walked down the stairs, her long pink hair hanging down over her face. She reached the bottom of the stairs as she looked at everyone angry.

Shivering, her towel wrapped against her body tightly she said, "Six o'clock. You get me up at six, for a cold shower. Mom you wanted me awake. WELL I'M AWAKE NOW!" Stomping back up the stairs she slammed her bedroom door shut then began to get dressed.

The table just shrugged and kept eating as Amy sat at her seat. Odd placed down her plate as Amy began eating. If there was one thing she liked about her mothers husband, he was good cook, not to mention rich. Amy knew her mom well enough to know she didn't care about money, if she did, why was she married to her father once. Eating her bacon first she began on her eggs then finished her plate fairly quickly. A moment later she felt a claw hit her ankle.

"Kaylie, put your stupid cat on a leash," Amy said, nudging Kiwi off her ankle.

"She's not stupid," Kaylie said to her. Aelita helped Kaylie off the chair and Kaylie crawled under the cable. "Come here Kiwi," She said sweetly, the kitten coming to her owner without hesitation. Kaylie picked up her cat, stuck her tongue out at Amy then walked into the living room. Amy rolled her eyes then looked at her ankle, seeing a few scratches.

"Mom, look at this," Amy said to Aelita. " That cat needs to be dew clawed."

"She's still a kitten. When she's a year old, then we'll dewclaw and neuter her." Amy groaned and walked her plate to Odd then went upstairs to bring her suite case downstairs. Placing hers with the others she sat on the couch next to Kaylie and changed the channel.

"I was watching that," Kaylie complained.

"Amy," Aelita said to her from the other room, knowing that Kaylie beat her to the tv. Amy changed it back asnd Kaylie began to watch cartoons again. Kiwi crawled into Amy's lap and Amy looked down at her.

"Off," Amy said to the cat. Kiwi ignored her then began to stretch, poking her legs to get comfortable. "Get off." The cat just yawned and began to sleep. "Kaylie…"

"Shh, you'll wake her up." Amy picked up the kitten herself and threw her to the other couch. "Amy." The kitten was now wide awake and scared, even afraid of Kaylie when she came to comfort the kitten.

"Kiwi calm down, she didn't mean it." Kiwi was in defensive mode now, and hissed at Kaylie. Kaylie reached to pet her, but Kiwi scratched her hand, drawing blood. Kaylie began to cry as Aelita came into the room.

Aelita looked at Amy who placed both her hands up, "Not me this time." Kaylie showed Aelita her hand as Kaylie told Aelita what Amy did to Kiwi. "I told the cat to get off."

"Did you have to throw her to make the point?" Aelita asked her.

"I threw her at the couch. I'm sorry okay. I didn't think it'd pull a Mr. Hyde on her." Aelita just took Kaylie to the bathroom for a band aid. Amy looked at the cat that was looking at her. "What are you looking at?" The kitten just looked away and licked its paw and rubbed it against its face.

About an hour later the group carried the luggage to the mini van as Odd warmed up the car. They all sat inside as Aelita helped Kaylie with her snow gear. "Can we hurry up?" Amy said to her mother as she was tying Kaylie's boot slowly so Kaylie could see it how it should be done.

"Do you want to tie her shoes?" Aelita said to Amy. Amy wanting to things to move along walked over kneeled down and began to tie her shoes. Doing it the way her father taught her Kaylie looked at her feet.

"That's not how mommy does it?" Kaylie said to her.

"Well I'm not mommy twerp." Amy said to her. "Can we go now?" Aelita nodded as they made their way to the van through the snow. Aelita locked the door and they three moved toward the car. Amy opened the door to see Jason in the third row seat, the only one left, two sacrificed for luggage. The only available seat was next to the baby seat that was for Kaylie.

"I'm not sitting next to Kaylie for an hour." Amy complained.

"Jason, do you mind moving?" Aelita asked him, so they could get going faster. Jason shook his head and moved seats. Aelita handed Kaylie to Jason who sat her in her seat and strapped her in.

"Is she in?" Aelita asked, sitting in the passenger seat. Jason nodded and Odd back the van out of the driveway.

* * *

The hour car ride was a little more pleasant than Aelita had hoped it would be. She thought the kids would act up the whole way, but with Kaylie and Amy separated it worked out well. Jason kept Kaylie entertained the whole way, so she didn't get annoying. Aelita and Odd had managed an hour car ride with a two year old with no hassle. When the airport exit came into view, Odd took the exit and they were almost there.

Getting the parking pass he drove into the spiral parking lot and drove a few stories before he managed to find a parking spot. "I hate Christmas flights." Odd said as he parked the mini van.

"Why do we even have to go?" Amy asked. "Not like they're her real parents."

"Yes they are," Kaylie said to her, looking over her shoulder, but couldn't with the baby seat.

"No, mom's adopted twerp."

"Mommy isn't adopted. I'm not a twerp." Kaylie said to her, but with her baby talk it sounded cuter than actually threatening. Aelita looked back and glared at Amy, who just looked out the window pretending she hadn't seen her.

"Sweetie, I was adopted. But even though they aren't parents, they're still my family and yours." Aelita said to Kaylie.

"I told you twerp."

"I'm not a twerp!" Kaylie yelled at Amy, though with her two year old voice it was more humorous than threatening once again.

"Will both of you knock it off," Odd said to both of them. They both looked at him. "Thank you."

Odd opened the car door as everyone began to get out of the van. Aelita opened the side door and helped Kaylie from her seat then they began to unload the five suitcases from the back. Odd rolled two suit cases one in each hand as the group made their way to the elevator to get to the correct terminal. The doors of the elevator closed as Odd leaned against the wall and looked at everyone. Amy seemed annoyed, Jason seemed neutral, Kaylie seemed exited standing there holding Kiwi's carrying box, Aelita had a similar look on her face, and for himself, he was nervous. He was about to see his in laws. God bless the holidays.

The elevator opened as Odd looked out to the terminal check in line. " Wonderful." It was only eight in the morning and the line to the check in was a quarter of a mile long. Odd and the four got in the line as Odd sat on one of the suitcases. After thirty minutes they were at the front of the line faster than they thought. Placing a suitcase on the weigh in, it was tagged and the group picked up their tickets.

"Give me Kiwi," Odd said crouching down to Kaylie's level. Kaylie took a good look at the kitten then gave the carrying case to her father.

Odd placed the kitten on the counter as the woman began to tag the carrying case. The case was loaded onto a luggage carrier as Kaylie watched Kiwi's cage get strapped down with other flying animals.

"Bye bye Kiwi," Kaylie said waving to the kitten.

"Let's go, flight boards in about an hour," Aelita said to Kaylie, taking her hand. The group began to walk, Amy and Jason walking behind Kaylie Aelita and Odd. Kaylie was holding both of their hands when Aelita looked down to Kaylie. "Wanna swing?"

"Really?" She asked excited. She loved swinging. Odd and Aelita swung her off her feet as Kaylie smiled and laughed, making Aelita and Odd smile and laugh. Something about Kaylie made everyone smile. Amy looked at them swing her and sighed. Jason noticed.

"You wanna swing don't you?" Jason asked.

"No. It's just my mom and dad would swing me when I was younger. Back when my mom didn't hate him," Amy said to him, not looking at him.

"Your mom is too good natured to hate someone," Jason said, watching the fun game.

"She cheated on my father for yours."

"Do you even know what, 'cheat' means?" Jason asked her, thinking she wouldn't know because of her age.

"I may be eight, but I know things I shouldn't. My parents gave me the facts after I walked in on them when I was four," Amy said, shuttering from the memory. Jason was about to laugh, but didn't, remembering that was exactly how he had found out. He shuttered to as well.

"I was six when I walked in," Jason said to her. Amy looked at him. Since becoming step siblings, she didn't think they had anything alike between them. "It was strange for me, because it always takes you a bit to realize what exactly you're looking at, then your parent's reactions of what you are looking at. Wow." He said a little scared from the memory.

* * *

They were sitting in the gate waiting for the plane to start boarding. Kaylie sat in the seat next to Aelita, trying to tie her shoe by herself. "Like this?" Kaylie asked, showing the shoes. They were loose, but done right.

"Then tighten them," Aelita instructed. Kaylie grabbed the loops and pulled. "Good job, practice a lot and you'll have it in no time." 'Now boarding, flight 192 to Paris.'

"That's us. Ready?" Kaylie nodded, taking Aelita's hand and making toward the gate entrance.


	6. The picture seen round the world

They got in the line to board the flight to Paris. Aelita was walking hand in hand with Kaylie as she took both their boarding passes and handed them to the woman at the gate. She ran it through the machine, the stub of the ticket appearing at the other end. Kaylie was allowed to grab her own ticket as her and her mother waited for the others to get theirs. The five walked to the opening of the plane, walked and waited for people putting their carry on bags in the overhead bins.

Looking at her ticket stub Aelita said, "We're in row twenty five."

The walked through the plane till they found their seats. Looking at the stubs for what seat in the row Aelita looked at Kaylie's and then read the markers above the rows. "Kaylie, you got the window." Kaylie slid across the row and into her seat, placing her backpack on her lap.

"I want the window," Amy said when she saw Kaylie in the seat she wanted. Aelita looked at Amy's stub and saw that she had the aisle like Odd. On the left were three seats, the right two. Jason had the right window, Amy the right aisle. Odd had the left aisle, Aelita the center, and Kaylie the other window which she kept pulling the screen up and down on.

"Mom I hate the aisle. When the drinks are served, I'll hit my shoulder on the cart."

"No you won't," Aelita said to her, directing her into her seat with her hand. Amy sat in her seat and placed her backpack under the seat in front of her and waited for the plane to take off.

* * *

When the plane began to shake from the takeoff, Amy unknown to her was holding Jason's hand. She didn't remember if she'd been on a plane or not, but so far she wasn't enjoying it. The take off knocked them around in their seats as the plane began to tilt back, lifting into the air. The back wheels let the ground go as the plane was airborne and gaining altitude. After the rocking had stopped, Jason looked at his hand and saw Amy scared face.

"You okay?" He asked her. Amy let his hand go then nodded. "Need a bag?"

"I'm not going to puke." Amy said to him. Reaching under the seat she opened her backpack then pulled out her crossword puzzle. She wasn't in trouble; she was just buying time till when she could use electronics. Jason just looked out his window, watching the ground get further away and clouds rushing past the wings of the plane. Kaylie was doing the same, and had enjoyed how fun take off was.

* * *

Thirty minutes into the flight Kaylie looked at Aelita and asked, "Mommy, have you ever been on a plane?"

"A few times when I was a kid," Aelita answered.

"When was the last time?" Kaylie asked, really wanting to know. Aelita thought back. The last time she was on a plane, six years ago. The last time she had plane tickets, two and a half years. Two and a half years ago after Aelita told Odd about the abortion she had in college, he was mad at her. Thinking she couldn't regain his forgiveness, she was going to board a flight and leave. Then she found out she was pregnant, so didn't. Either way Odd showed up at the airport to stop her, and two and half years later here she was.

"Six years ago," Aelita answered, thinking it best not to mention Odd's and hers temporary separation. "Amy was your age then."

"Amy's been on a plane?"

"She has. I went to see grandma and grandpa after she was born just so they could see her," Aelita said to her. It was partial lie, and a partial true statement. She left to see her parents yes, she also left so her and Jeremie could cool off with the fighting for week. Kaylie looked back at the clouds and smiled. She liked flying so far.

Meanwhile the two people in the aisle seats of row twenty five were having a very intellectual conversation.

"Are we there yet?" Amy asked Odd.

"No."

"Are we there yet?"

"No."

"Are we there yet?"

"No."

"Are we there yet?"

"No," Odd answered again more annoyed than he already was.

"Are we there yet, are we there yet, are we there yet, are we there yet?" Amy asked quickly.

"Yes," Odd said to her.

"Really?"

"No."

"Are we there yet?" Odd sighed deep then turned his head to face Aelita.

"Aelita, help me, first born on the attack." Aelita leaned passed Odd and looked at her daughter.

"Amy, knock it off." Amy rolled her eyes and leaned back into her seat. The second she had decided she was comfortable; the food and drink cart hit her shoulder. Tears formed in her eyes as she tried to hold them back. Eight year olds don't cry, only babies cry.

"Amy, you okay?" Aelita asked, her mother concern came in from seeing her child in pain.

"I told you it'd hit me," Amy said to her mother.

"Let's go to the bathroom and have a look at it."

"I'm fine mom," Amy said, annoyed from her concern.

"I just want to look at it."

"I'm fine!" She shouted loud enough for other people to hear. Aelita looked at her daughter, knowing she wouldn't get to help her.

"Fine." Aelita leaned into her seat as Kaylie began to tug at her shirt.

"Mommy, I have to go." At least one her babies wanted help, and was more than willing to accept it.

"Okay, Odd is it vacant?" Odd looked over his shoulder and nodded. "Come on." They unbuckled their seats and Aelita led her through the aisle. The door to the bathroom shut as the occupied light turned on.

"That baby can't even go by herself," Amy said to herself rather to someone else.

"She's two, I'd be surprised if she could," Odd said to her. "And you're not one to talk."

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"Your mother told me that it took you four years to be fully potty trained." Amy turned red from that embarrassing fact.

"No it didn't," She lied, though she knew it was true.

"And you even started a year later than Kaylie, who for the last three months has had dry sheets."

"It wasn't four years," Amy said to him, in the tone of a threat. Odd chuckled to himself then looked at the seat in front of him.

"What ever you say, bed wetter." Amy growled at him as even Jason laughed at her. Amy punched him in the arm then put on her head phones. Odd took something out of his backpack then held onto it till the girls got back.

Kaylie and Aelita slid passed him then took a seat as Odd looked at Aelita and said, " Check this out." Aelita looked at a picture Odd was holding.

"Aww, that's so cute," Aelita said leaning over to look at Amy. "When did that happen?"

"Kaylie's party." Aelita smiled then looked at the picture.

"Does she know you have this?"

"Nope," Odd said with a smile.

"Thought so."

* * *

On the ground Yumi Stern was checking her email. Seeing one from her friend Odd she opened it and saw that it had an attachment file. "What's this?" She asked herself. Clicking on it, the picture began to load. A moment later it was fully loaded and she smiled at what she saw. "Ulrich?" She asked, wanting her husband to come into the room.

"Yeah," he asked from the living room, watching tv at the time.

"Come in here, check this out." Ulrich got up from the couch and walked into the study where the computer was. Leaning toward the screen he chuckled to himself. "You owe me a strip tease."

"What? Why?" Ulrich asked her. They usually made bets that the loser had to do sexual games.

"Remember the bet we made three years ago. I said Anthony would have his first kiss with Amy, and you said he wouldn't." Ulrich thought hard. He remembered, and knew she knew he had.

"Oh great." Anthony walked into the room a moment later.

"Mom where's my…" Anthony started then saw the picture on the screen and turned beat red. "Where did you get that?"

"Nowhere," Yumi said to her son. "Now what do you want?"

"Oh, um, nothing," he said, having already forgotten why he had entered the room.

"Hey son, was this your first kiss?" Ulrich asked his son. Begging he'd say no. From behind Yumi, Ulrich was making gestures that said no. Anthony was very aware that his father wanted him to say no, so said yes. Ulrich lowered his head in defeat as Yumi smiled.

"You can go." Anthony left the room as Yumi opened a list on her computer. It was titled, 'Things to have Ulrich do before I die.' The list had these things.

1. Make me diner (Checked marked).

2. Have sex on every surface in the house (Check marked).

3. Call me from work and ask me what I'm wearing (Checked).

4. Take me to where we first met for an anniversary (Checked).

5. Perform a strip tease (Just being checked).

6. Want to have a fourth child. (Not checked, but hoping for it).

7. Take my clothes off with his teeth (Checked a few times).

8. Take a day off, send the kids away, and have sex from sunrise to sunset (Checked).

9. Bring whipped cream into the bedroom (Checked).

10. Talk to in laws regularly (Not checked).

11. Invite his parents over for a weekend (not checked).

12. Read a sex book (Not going to happen).

Yumi checked marked number five, walked over to the door, and shut it. Locking it, she dimmed the lights, walked back to the computer and opened a music player on the computer. Picking a song with a nice rhythm she turned the chair around, and looked at Ulrich.

"And start stripping," Yumi said with a grin.

"Oh come on."

"You know the bets can't be cheated out of." Yumi said with a smiled, placing her hands on her lap. "I lost the bet that made me be on top for two weeks. So I think you can do this."

Ulrich sighed then made sure the door was locked, not noticing Yumi locking it. Looking back at her, Yumi had a very anxious smile on her face. "Come on, move the hips, shake that ass, and entertain me. Do it good, I might tip you with a twenty."

"Don't rub salt on the wound," Ulrich said before he started.


	7. Family

The flight landed in Paris after the two and a half hours flight. Kaylie had the time of her life. She loved flying. Amy on the other hand, didn't. It was the weird sensation of not being on the ground, her ears popping, and the food cart that ruined her flight. Not to mention the baby getting the seat she wanted, the window is always the best seat. They had to wait for the people in front of them to pull their belongings out of the overhead bin, but after the twenty minute delay they began to walk off the plane.

Sliding through the aisle the five exited the plane and began to walk up the walkway to the terminal. Odd looked around, trying to find a sign to direct them. "Everything's in French," he said. "I don't know French." Aelita giggled and read the sign. "You know French?"

"I am French." She said, taking Kaylie's hand and leading her to the shuttle bus that would lead them to baggage claim. 'She's French?' Odd asked himself. 'Now she tells me.' Odd followed his wife shortly followed by Amy and Jason.

The five boarded the bus and managed to find seats before they were all taken. Kaylie was seated on Aelita's lap, as Odd was trying to calm down. Very soon he'd be seeing her parents. Adopted parents, but parental figures that judge none the less. The bus began to move and a few minutes later they were walking off it. Following the French signs Aelita read them aloud to show she was really fluent in French.

Taking an escalator down they saw several areas to pick up your luggage. "We're five." Aelita said to Odd, seeing they were at twenty and five was a ways down. Aelita led the group, "You've lived in France for seventeen years and you don't know French?" Aelita asked Odd.

"Nope. After I learned the alphabet I thought I was good." Aelita giggled then looked forward and stopped. Handing Kaylie's bag to Odd, then she took off running toward the baggage claim.

"Where's mommy going?" Kaylie asked watching her mother run. Aelita wrapped her arms around a man a moment later in a tight hug. The man hugged her back then let her go. "Who's that?"

"Probably one of your uncles?" Odd said still walking, placing the strap to Kaylie's bag over his shoulder. In fact it was one of Kaylie's uncles.

"Sean," Aelita said to he adopted brother. "Too long."

"I know," Sean said to her. Sean was a decently tall man. Six feet, a few inches. His hair was short and red, barely reaching his forehead. He wasn't buff or fat, just normal. He had no facial hair, having shaved good this morning. "How you been?"

"Great, you?"

"Better," he said, referring to the divorce. "Look at you. You did not have two kids." he said, noticing how well she looked.

"I did." Odd had just caught up with Kaylie and the others when she looked next to her. "This is Odd, my husband." Aelita said introducing the two. The two shook hands.

"Pleasure, I'm Sean Fitter." Sean looked down at Kaylie and crouched down next to her. "And you must be Kaylie." Kaylie nodded big. 'Yup, that's my name.' "Aren't you just the cutest little thing ever?" He said it, and meant it. "Where's the sister."

"Right here," Amy said walking around Odd.

"You're Amy huh. Love the hair." Amy smiled at that. She loved her hair to.

"Dad, what am I looking for?" A girl asked Sean. Sean turned around and faced his daughter.

"Four bags labeled Robbia, and one Belpois. Where's Kelly." Sean's daughter looked behind her mumbled. 'Oh great.' "Bianca, where is she?"

"I'll find her." Sean shook his head as his nineteen year old daughter turned around looking for her five year old sister. Kelly was however not lost, but admiring the animals in cages awaiting their owners to pick them up. Bianca looked over a few people and saw her sister. Letting out a relieved breathe she walked over and spun her sister around then looked straight at her holding her by her shoulders.

"Don't ever do that again, do you hear me?" Kelly just looked at her sister. "Kelly, answer me, never leave mine or dads sight. We're in a crowded place; a lot can happen to you. You gave me heart attack."

"Your not even twenty, do you know what the likelihood of you getting a heart attack is?" Kelly asked her sister. Bianca smiled at her.

"You're still a smart ass, so I'll take it your fine," The first time in their conversation she noticed Kelly didn't have her glasses on.

"Where are your glasses?" Her glasses were in fact, in the garbage, she hated them because she thought she looked like a dork in them. "These things aren't cheap Kelly. They cost a lot. Now be glad I brought your extra pair." Bianca opened her purse and held out of pair of glasses, with thick lenses, and thick frames to hold them.

Kelly looked at them and shook her head. "You know you can't see a thing without them," Bianca said to her, crouching down to her level. "Put them on."

"I can see fine," She said, not looking at her sister, but at the one next to her because of her double vision she received when not wearing them.

"Look at me."

"I am," Kelly said, obviously thinking she was, but wasn't.

"Exactly my point put them on."

"No." Bianca stood up and took out her cell phone. "Who are you calling?"

"Mom, it's Bianca, she won't put them on again."

"They're on, they're on. Don't tell mom, don't tell mom." Kelly begged grabbing the glasses and putting them on. Bianca closed her phone, not disconnecting anyone. She never even dialed a number. 'Works every time.' Bianca said to herself.

"See, isn't that better?" It was dramatically better. But she still hated them. "Come on." The two walked over to the baggage claim were Odd and Jason had already found three bags. Aelita and Sean were on the other end, and had claimed the other two. After the bags were claimed they moved toward the animal claim and picked up Kiwi, who Kaylie was excited to see again, telling her little kitten all about the flight on the way to the car.

* * *

The car pulled into the driveway of a rather large house. It was three stories tall, with a rather old traditional feel to it. Aelita stepped out of the car and looked at the house. "When did they move here?" Aelita asked, admiring the house. "It's huge."

"Last year I think," Sean said, opening the back of his van and beginning to unload it. Handing off suitcases to Odd and Jason, they made for the front entrance of the house. "They said it was on a good price, so bought for occasions such as this. Family coming over."

Aelita shrugged then picked up her suitcase and started to walk to the door. When she got halfway a man opened the door for them. Aelita smiled walked in the house, placed her suitcase down then hugged him.

"Hey Chris, been awhile huh." Aelita said looking at her other adopted brother.

"I haven't seen you since the first time you got married." Chris said to her. Chris was shorter than Sean, but had the same red hair. He was a muscular man unlike Sean.

"How you been?"

"Okay I guess," he said, the loss of his wife and child still there. It had been nearly ten years since she had died. "You?"

"You know me," she said with a smile. Odd walked in and placed some of the luggage on the ground then shook Chris' hand. "This is my husband, Odd."

"Heard a lot about you," Chris said to him.

"Same."

"Aelita!" A voice from upstairs yelled. A woman who was older than everyone, not old, but older ran down the stairs and hugged Aelita.

"Hi mom," Aelita said hugging her back. Aelita's adopted mother was only nine years older than she was. When she was twenty four her and her husband wanted a kid, but found out she couldn't. She was born sterile, and hadn't known it till then. She still had a cycle, but her eggs just couldn't get fertilized. So she adopted.

"Six years," She said to her daughter. "Where is she?" She asked, referring to Kaylie who was just walking in the door with Kelly, who was also a cat person. Kaylie looked up at her grandmother and just stared for a few seconds as her grandmother took a good look at her. Aelita picked her up and rested her on one of her arms.

"This is Kaylie. Kaylie, this is grandma." Kaylie looked at her grandmother, also getting a good look.

"You're my grandma, shouldn't you be old?" She asked, thinking that because in stories Aelita read her, if a grandmother was in it, she was old. Aelita's mother however, didn't look old. Aelita's mother laughed.

"Aren't you just adorable?" She asked gesturing to hold her. Aelita handed her over as she took a closer look. "How was your flight Kaylie?"

"Fun."

"Really, your sister's first flight she got sick on the way. But I just got to spend more time with her. Speaking of Amy, where is she?" As if on cue Amy walked in the house with Bianca. Handing Kaylie back to Aelita she crouched down to Amy and looked at her. "I haven't seen you in six years."

"I've met you?" Amy asked, this woman looking familiar, but still like a stranger.

"You have, you we're still a baby though. So you probably don't remember." Amy before she knew it was hugged by her grandmother. "It's so wonderful to have you all over." She looked at Odd and stood up. "And you must be Odd." Odd nodded. "I'm so glad I finally get to meet you."

"Like wise." Odd said, thinking it best to say he did. So far so good. "So, where's the Mr.?" Odd asked, thinking it better to meet her father sooner than later.

"In the living room no less. Go say hi. Aelita, come with me, I wanna show you something."


	8. So far, So good

Aelita and Kaylie were lead up the stairs by Aelita's mother. Amy followed them because she had nothing else to do. She led them up the stairs that Kaylie tripped over again. Stairs were never very nice to her. So to help Aelita picked her up and carried her herself. Amy just rolled her eyes at how much of a baby Kaylie was. Her mother led her to the second floor and then walked into a bedroom. In the room was a lot of Aelita's old stuff when she lived with them from fifteen to twenty-one while she was at college.

Her posters were sticking out of boxes; her queen sized bed was in the corner that was covered by pink sheets and blankets. On top of the blankets were a bunch of stuffed animals of varies species. Cats, dogs, monkeys, an elephant and a penguin. Her mother walked in the room and to the dresser that took up half the wall. It had a mirror attached to it that had stickers stuck to it and several tickets from concerts and other events jammed in the side between the frame and the glass. The walls were painted white, because they didn't feel like painting it.

Aelita smiled then began to look through her old stuff. "What did you want to show me?" Aelita asked, looking through her old posters.

"Just this," Her mother said holding up an old doll. It was a small doll wearing interesting clothing articles. The sleeves hung down past his ankles, and his ears were pointy. Kaylie looked at her mother to see she had a rather happy look on her face.

"Mr. Puck," Aelita said walking across the room, taking Mr. Puck from her mother she looked at him. Mr. Puck was cleaned before Aelita had arrived, so he was shiny like new. His clothes were a little dirty, but they were like that by the time Aelita was seventeen. "I haven't seen him since I moved out."

"I found him in one of the boxes last week," Aelita's mother said to her. Aelita smiled then hugged Mr. Puck once to get it out of her system. Kaylie looked at the doll.

"What is it?" Kaylie asked.

"It was my favorite doll when I was growing up," Aelita said to Kaylie, kneeling down so Kaylie could take a better look. "My parents gave it to me before my mother died, and my father abandoned me," Aelita said to her. Her mother had died, she remembered that when she got her memory back from xana. But her father hadn't abandoned her. It was just a better story than, my dad is trapped in a super computer.

"What happened after that?" Kaylie asked.

"I lived at Kadic for a bit, your father and friends helping me out. Then a few social workers found out that I was an orphan, so sent me to an orphanage a few days before I was about to graduate Jr. High. A month after that, I was adopted."

"We were thinking about adopting someone a little younger, maybe two or three years old. But when I saw Aelita at the orphanage, I just had to take her. I had never seen such a cute little girl in my life."

"I was fifteen, I wasn't that little," Aelita said to her mother with a slight laugh. "But anyway, Mr. Puck went with me the entire way. Never left me alone, just like he'll never leave you." Aelita said handing Mr. Puck to Kaylie. Amy eyed the doll, and she liked it. She liked elves, they were cute to her. But she had declared since she was seven, she was too old for dolls, and made no attempt to show interest. Kaylie looked at Mr. Puck carefully.

"He's cute," Kaylie said. "Thank you mommy," Kaylie said hugging the doll. Amy was a little mad. Her mother had just given her most valued possession to her sister, without even glancing toward Amy. Aelita smiled then picked up Kaylie and left the room.

* * *

Odd walked into the living room to see a man sitting on a chair watching tv. He was in early fifties and hadn't noticed Odd as he walked in. Looking up he saw Odd then turned the tv off. Standing up from his chair he walked over to Odd and looked at him closely. He knew who he was, having seen a picture.

"So you're Odd," Aelita's father said to him. The two shook hands as her father began to walk into the kitchen. Odd walked with him.

"Nice house you got here," Odd said, admiring the house.

"Thanks, I like it too," Her father said to him. 'So far so good,' Odd repeated to himself. "Drink?" Her father asked walking toward the kitchen.

"No thanks, I don't drink," Odd said to her father. Her father looked at him strangely.

"A man who doesn't drink?" Her father asked him.

"Can't be a father and a drinker at the same time," Odd said, remembering he quit drinking when he was twenty seven. When him and Sissi had started trying to have a baby. Her father looked at Odd.

"I see your point," He said pouring himself a glass of wine. "I only drink on the holidays." Odd slightly chuckled to himself. 'So far, so good.' "You sound like you did drink at one time though," Her father said to Odd.

"I did, when I was like twenty."

"Alcoholic?" He asked.

"Not really, more like, stupid kid." Her father chuckled.

"I remember those days." 'So far, so good.'

* * *

Not even five minutes later the entire group was at two tables that had been pushed together to accommodate everyone. When everyone was there, Odd and Jason were about to start before her mother stop them.

"Now boys, it's rude to start until everyone is at the table." They looked around. They saw, Aelita, Kaylie, Amy, Kelly, Bianca, Sean, Chris, her parents, and themselves. Who was missing they both thought.

They waited about a minute as her mother stood up off her chair and walked to the phone. About to call a number she heard the door open and placed the phone back on the hook. Walking into the living room she looked at a girl who was just taking off her shoes.

"Helen, Roger, sorry I'm late." She turned her body and bumped into Helen, Aelita's mother. "Whoa," She said jumping back.

"Where have you been?" Helen asked her in a very angry tone. The girl was trying to think of something to say. "You were supposed to home three hours ago, at six, it's nine."

"Wow, you know math," She said back to Helen sarcastically. Helen shook her head.

"Don't be a smart ass with me." The girl rolled her eyes then looked away. Helen grabbed her chin the pinched her cheeks with her thumbs and finger tips. "Don't you roll your eyes either. If you are late, one more time, you're grounded. Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes Helen," she mumbled through her cheeks, "Now let me go before I swallow my tongue." Helen let her go as the girl made her way into the dining room. "Whoa, company. Who are they?" She asked, gesturing toward the people at the table.

"Please don't tell me you forgot," Helen asked her. The girl shrugged. "I told you, two days ago that my family was coming. These are my children, and their children."

"You said you didn't have any kids," the girl said to her.

"They are my kids, my adopted kids if you must know. Have a seat." The girl walked through the room and sat at the only available seat next to Jason.

Jason from the moment she walked in took immediate notice to her. Dark brown hair, so dark it almost looked black. Her face was blemish free, but did have a few freckles speckled on the sides of her nose. Her eye lashes were long and elegant.

Jason at his age found girls attractive, him always liking them and never had gone through the girls are gross phase. At a younger age it was a cute face, now, it was a nice body. The girl hadn't taken her coat off yet, but when she did, Jason gabbed mentally. Beautiful curves that looked carved by a perfect artist, not too skinny, not fat, perfect. He was half expecting something almost preppy in her outfit, but it was punkish. She wore a black shirt that had a band logo on it, black pants that were a little too big. She almost looked gothic, but she didn't have overdosing makeup and was way too beautiful for that stereotype.

The first thing he noticed when she was walking toward him was that she looked away for a moment. Noticing a little red in her cheeks, she noticed he was staring at her. Still surveying her, he kept looking at her. She was fairly well developed for her age which Jason guessed was thirteen. Her hips were just started to get rounder, as her breasts were starting to show. Her shirt only lifted slightly, but it was noticeable, and Jason noticed.

As she was about at the chair, Jason did something he had never done before. He stood up off his own chair, and pulled hers out.

The girl finally looked back at him, and then smiled. "Thanks," She said to him as she slid the seat under herself and pulled her legs under the table. Her voice even made him gab. Helen sat at the table and then looked at everyone. Her mother was religious, so she did grace. Everyone held hands, but Jason looked at her nervously.

"You gonna grab it or what?" She asked him, placing her hand next to his. Jason grabbed it as Helen began to speak.

* * *

Dinner went well. There was more talk than eating going on. During half way the adults began to talk about adults things. Politics, sports, news, boring topics that adults find necessary to talk about. They managed to get to this.

"So, Odd," Roger, Aelita's father asked him. "Aelita tells me you own your own business." Odd looked at Aelita who shrugged. He did, but it wasn't what he thought apparently. "How's that treating you?"

"Nicely, opened it when I was about twenty three," Odd replied taking a bit of his chicken.

"What's the profit from that?" he asked.

" Good," Odd answered, extremely modest.

"How good, hundred, two hundred?"

"Usually high million low billion." Her father laughed at him.

"I wish," he said, not taking into consideration that Odd might be telling the truth. "No, really, how much?"

"I just told you. Aelita failed to mention the company's name. I am the president and founder of Sound Proof industries." The table went silent. Roger felt a little nervous now. He was housing a billionaire.

"Sound Proof," the girl at the table asked. "They have a pretty sweet stereo system." She said, having it in her room.

"You started Sound Proof?" Chris asked. Odd nodded as Chris looked at Sean who just shrugged. They were all at a loss of words. Odd looked at Aelita who pretended to not see him, helping Kaylie who wasn't good at operating a spoon. Helen stood up and took a few of the empty plates.

"Who wants dessert?" she asked changing topics to get the table a little less awkward.

* * *

By the end of the night at eleven o'clock everyone had been placed into one of the twelve rooms in the house. Kelly and Kaylie wanted to share rooms, so they did. Kiwi was sleeping in between them soundly and Kaylie was sleeping while hugging Mr. Puck. Kelly was just turned the other way in the bed facing the wall with her glasses on the night stand, hugging her stuffed animal, which was a pink rabbit.

Aelita was looking in on them to see if they were asleep before she left to her and Odd's room. They were sleeping soundly so she left them alone and continued to walk into her room. Opening the door to the room that was filled with her things she sat on the bed and pulled the covers to her waist, laying up against the bed frame waiting for Odd. She wanted to ask him something very important tonight.

Odd stepped into the bedroom with a towel, rubbing out the remaining water off his hair. Odd always showered before he slept, it helped him sleep, or in tonight's case, made him calm down. Closing the door he walked across the room and sat next to Aelita in the bed, pulling the blanket to where she had it as well. Aelita noticed Odd seemed a little flustered.

"You okay?" She asked him.

"You didn't find it necessary to tell them my occupation," Odd said to her.

"I know I should of Odd. I'm sorry okay."

"I'm not mad, it was just a little awkward for a minute. Good thing your mother is good at changing topics." Aelita giggled with a nod. At least he wasn't mad. Other than that, he was in a fairly good mood. It was a good time to ask him Aelita said to herself.

"Odd," She began, "I've noticed something."

"And what is that?" He asked, looking at her.

"I'm getting old." That was the same thing Aelita had told Jeremie when she wanted something. "I'm almost forty."

"So am I. You're not getting old Aelita."

"Prove it then." She asked him.

"Okay. You're beautiful..."

"Odd, I mean do something, don't say something." Odd looked at her strangely. "I want to prove to myself that I'm still young enough."

"To do what?" Odd asked, not figuring this out by now.

"I want to have another baby." Odd was shocked for a moment. Aelita sat their waiting for his response.

"Oh," Odd started. "That."

"You don't want to," She said to him. Odd began to think. Kaylie was beautiful. Any child coming from them was going to be. If anything turned out half as good as Kaylie did, why not. Finances were good, obviously. They could manage two kids, and Kaylie did say one day she wanted more siblings. Her friend had lots of siblings, she only had two.

"I do." Odd finally said. Aelita looked at him. Since they got married they had been trying to avoid getting pregnant. Not because they didn't want the kid, they wanted it to be planned. So they used condoms.

"If Kaylie turned out that well, I'd like to see what could happen next." Aelita smiled then kissed him. "We'll start when we get back."

"No," Aelita said to him. "We're starting now."

"We're at your parent's house."

"Odd, my ovulation peaks tonight, and I'm not missing that chance." Odd looked at her seriously.

"What if they walk in? Hell what if anyone walks in."

"Everyone is asleep."

"What if we wake them up?"

"We won't. My family could've sleep through Pearl Harbor for Christ's sake." Odd exhaled then tried to think. Aelita usually got her way in these things.

"Fine, but I won't enjoy it," he said sarcastically. Aelita smiled then rolled over and on top of him. Kissing him deeply she looked down at him and said in her very seductive voice.

"Oh yes you will."


	9. Surviving

Jason had found himself one of the first awake that morning. Walking down stairs he arrived in the kitchen and saw Kaylie and Helen eating breakfast. Kaylie always woke up early. Normally it was because she was the first asleep. Helen pointed him toward the bowls and cereal and he poured himself a bowl. A few others woke up within the next thirty minutes which included, Bianca, Kelly, and Sean.

Sean was the last of his family to get up, walking into the kitchen and kissing his daughters on the forehead as he walked by. Jason had noticed that Sean and Chris looked a lot alike. "Are you and Chris actual brothers?" Sean smiled, expected a question like that from one of them.

"Yeah. They were only going to adopt me at first, but I said me and my brother will never be separated," he answered, pouring himself a bowl. "When our parents died when I eight and he was eleven, we were all we had."

Jason could understand that. Jason had noticed that girl from last night still hadn't woken up either. Even after a fairly decent conversation with her, he didn't even get her name. He felt like an idiot for not even knowing that much. Jason finished his bowl then placed it on the counter, which a moment later was grabbed by Helen who rinsed it and placed it in the dishwasher.

"Jason," Helen said to him. "Could you be a dear and wake up Krystal please?" Well that solved the not knowing the name problem.

"Sure, which room is hers?" Jason asked, not knowing.

"The only room on the third floor, she calls it her tower." Jason nodded then began to walk over to the stairs, then began to climb them. Crossing the circular second floor hallway he began to walk up the stairs leading to the third floor. Seeing a room at the top of the stairs he stopped at it and knocked.

Standing there for a few seconds he knocked again. "Krystal, you awake?" Nothing. Deciding to enter the room, he began to get nervous. He was about to see the private space of this girl. When he opened the door, it wasn't what he expected. He expected everything to be perfectly organized, no clothes on the ground, or left over food.

The room was terribly disorganized. Books, cds, movies, fallen posters and various other items littered the ground. It looked like she took her laundry basket and dumped it all over her floor. Her jeans, shirts, and even her undergarments were placed all over the ground. The smell of left over chinese was everywhere, and strong. Looking across the room he saw a futon mattress with no frame, just the mattress with bed sheets on it, as well as a young woman in a very deep sleep.

Jason carefully treaded her room. A few fun games could be played in here, like find the floor. It was like a minefield for Jason, feet away from each other was a bra or panty that he tried not to step on. Managing to reach her bed he leaned over and nudged her shoulder, and she suddenly shot up and spun around. She looked at him for a few seconds then yawned loudly stretching. She seemed very tired, and didn't want to wake up.

"Did Helen tell you to wake me up?" She asked. Jason nodded. She pulled the blanket of herself and stood up, revealing she was only in boxers and a black tank top. Krystal was expecting Jason to comment her pajamas so said, "What? They're comfy." Jason shrugged; having really no comment then began to walk out of her room, stepping carefully.

When he was at the end of her dresser she said, "By the way, while you over there, could you throw me over a pair of underwear."

Jason froze. He was expecting her to start laughing then tell him it was a joke. She didn't. "I thought they were comfy," Jason said, returning his own joke.

"They are, but if you wear them to long they start to ride." She had him there. Jason carefully opened her drawer, and then looked in. It was the right drawer. "The pink thong," She said to him. Jason looked at her, and she laughed. "I'm joking, any pair, just throw it over." Jason quickly reached in, grabbed a pair with his finger tips, tossed it at her, and then left her room so she could change.

Jason began to walk downstairs, still shaky from that experience. He had already confirmed two things about Krystal. She wasn't shy, and she was fun. Other than the nervousness as awkwardness of what had happened, he laughed about it. It was kind of funny to him. Hearing her door shut he stopped at the second floor's hallway and waited for her. Reaching the second floor she walked past him with a smile. Obviously she thought it was funny as well.

Jason followed her and asked, "Sleep good?" It was more of a joke than anything, because she was walking tired and weak.

"No. Your parents kept me up all night."

"Odd's my dad, but Aelita's my step mom." He said, correcting her early before she got too accustomed with that thought. She just shrugged.

"Either way they kept me awake till three in the morning."

"How did they do that?" Jason asked. She stopped in the middle of the stairs, almost to the bottom then turned and faced him.

"Oh Odd, Oh...yes…yes. does that help?" she asked. Jason nodded. "Was I only one who heard them? I could feel the vibrations for Christ's sake. I wasn't even on the same floor." Jason shook his head.

"I guess I'm used to sleeping through that."

* * *

Odd woke up with Aelita partially on the pillow and partially on him. Her head was resting on his shoulder, her arm was around his body, and she was sleeping comfortably. Looking down at her, Odd smiled. At where they were in their lives, she was still full of surprises and last night was no exception. Basically, he enjoyed last night very much.

Aelita woke up a few moments later, smiling at him. Breathing deeply she cuddled closer to him. "Why did it take us fourteen years?" She asked him. He didn't have an answer.

"Just how it happened I guess." Aelita nodded on his chest then stretched her feet out. Then a knock came at the door.

"Mommy, get up," Kaylie's voice said from behind the door. Aelita groaned then looked at the clock. Eleven in the morning. It seemed like a good time to get up so she took a bed sheet and walked to her suitcase. Grabbing some clothing articles she got her robe as well, and then put it on so she could answer the door.

"Morning sweetie, have you taken a bath yet?" Kaylie shook her head, then Aelita picked her up and the two went into the bathroom. Odd stretched then sat up, putting on some clothes and then walking down stairs. He took a shower last night and didn't need one. Though, after last night he probably did. Walking down stairs he saw Jason and Krystal just leaving apparently going sledding. Sitting at the table he saw that almost everyone was in here.

"Morning Odd, breakfast?" Helen asked him. Odd shook his head, not really hungry for cereal. Cereal was never enough to settle him in the morning. Amy was sitting there eating her cereal, talking to her cousin Bianca. They were talking about styles, and girl things that Amy was trying to get in the flow with. Bianca seemed very knowledgeable in this subject, looking up to date with fashion. Amy was happy to just have someone to have a real conversation with.

Odd looked at the stairs as Kaylie and Aelita came down, Kaylie's long blonde still soaked from the shower. Aelita walked over and kissed Odd, setting Kaylie up at the table with her booster seat and anti spill cup filled with milk. After her breakfast was done, she found her cousin Kelly, and then the two began to draw. Odd and Aelita sat on the couch as they watched the two draw. Odd was happy to say, he had survived this trip so far. But he still had a week left to screw up.


	10. Accidents have reasons

Jason and Krystal scaled the hill that was over a football field in length, and fairly steep. Jason carried his snowboard over his shoulder and Krystal carried her sled that had a rope to drag it up. After the rather long climb, slipping a few times but never falling the two stood on top of the hill that was with only them and a few other kids.

"This hill is sweet," Jason said admiring the slope.

"Favorite part about this place," Krystal said looking down at it too. Jason sat with his legs extended out then began to buckle and strap his feet to his snowboard. Getting to his feet he pulled his goggles over his eyes. Kicking off he began down the hill then Krystal watched him go down. Jason expertly avoided kids not paying attention, and a few snowballs from kids with nothing else to do by try to make him lose balance. Skidding at the bottom he looked back and saw Krystal was halfway down.

Krystal slid toward Jason but couldn't stop. Jason had his feet halfway unbuckled so managed to jump up and away from harm. She was ejected from her sled then landed on her back then just lay there laughing. Jason walked over to her then helped her up.

Brushing the snow off her she looked back at the top of the hill and said, "They really need a ski lift for this place." Jason looked back and nodded in agreement.

Picking up the board and sled they were back up the hill a few minutes later, getting ready for another run. Krystal watched him then sighed. "I wish I could snowboard."

"You can't snowboard?" Jason asked her.

"Hello. I don't have the ass for it. Look," she said then turned around to show him her backside. "Absolutely no ass, I have no center of gravity."

"Like I do? It's all about balance and not falling down," He said unbuckling his feet.

"What're you doing?"

"You're going to learn how to ride a snowboard." Krystal looked at him like he was insane. Jason dropped the board in front of her. "Buckle your feet in tightly, do it right or if you fall, you'll keep your foot but not your shoe."

"I can't do this," She said to him. Jason looked at her in a funny way. It was kind of pouty mixed with big puppy dog eyes. "Oh fine. One try." She sat down then began to buckle her feet incorrectly.

"No, like this," Jason said, finishing it for her. He then helped her up, where her feet went forward but everything else went back. Jason thinking quickly grabbed his sides then held her upright.

"Is this just an excuse to grab my ass?" Krystal asked with humor. Jason to play along, let her go, and she spun her arms around like a windmill to stay up. "Grab my ass, grab my ass, grab my ass!" Jason grabbed her sides to keep her from falling.

"Alright now I'm going to let you go. When I do, bend your knees a little, lean forward, and steer with your back foot."

"Great, I'm a pro now." Jason chuckled silently then began to countdown.

"On three. One...Two...three," he said before letting her sides go. She slid down the slope for a few feet but then after five feet curved to the left, then swerved to the right and fell face first. The snowboard with her feet still attached flung over her head leaving her on her back before she stopped sliding. Krystal just lay there, not sure if her butt or her face hurt more.

"Ouch," she said simply, and then tried to stand up. She couldn't. Jason laughed. "Shut up, told you I can't do it."

"It's like riding a bike, you feel uncomfortable at first, but fall a few times, get up, try again and you'll have it in no time," He said helping her to her feet. She wobbled back a few times before Jason wrapped his arms around her back to keep her upright.

"Be glad this is for educational purposes or I'd kick your ass." Jason almost slipped but managed to keep them both balanced. Krystal saw behind him that her sled was beginning to slide off the hill, toward Jason who was having trouble keeping himself balanced. "Oh crap."

The sled hit Jason's heels, not hard, but an ant pushing him could knock him off balance right now. Jason landed in the sled, and took Krystal with him. Krystal was on top of him, then she lifted her feet up as the sled began to slid down. Half way down the hill the sled began to turn and soon they were going down backwards. They began to slow down and they knew they had reached the bottom but kept sliding. Ten yards later it slid to a stop.

"That was fun," Jason said as he helped Krystal off him with her feet still lodged to his snowboard.

"If you call falling on my ass, sliding down a hill on a guy who is practically a stranger to me, fun. Then I'm having a blast. Get this thing off my feet." Jason kneeled down then liberated her feet and she grabbed her sled then began up the hill again. Jason smiled then followed her.

* * *

Jason and Krystal walked back into the house, covered in snow, cold, cheeks red, and laughing. They had a blast. After a few more attempts at the board Krystal managed to get half way down the hill. Taking off their jackets they walked into the kitchen where she opened the cabinets in search of something. She found a box of hot chocolate mix, took two out, then placed it back in the cabinet.

Filling two coffee mugs with water she placed them in the microwave then told Jason she'd be right back, going to change into dry clothes. Jason did so too, going to his room to do the same. When he got back down the water was hot, but she wasn't back yet. Jason even took his time getting dressed. Hearing her footsteps coming down the stairs, he turned and faced the door. When she walked in, she wasn't in anything special.

It was a pair of pajama pants, and a t shirt that showed her navel. "What kept you?" Jason asked.

"I had to find it first, you've seen my room." Jason smiled then nodded. That explained it.

After a few minutes of waiting for the hot chocolate to cool, they huddled onto the couch in the living room, talking. The tv was on, but they were still talking like they didn't even care about the show. Which they didn't.

"So how did you end up here?" Jason asked her. He knew she had to be adopted so wanted to know that story.

"It's kind of a sad story. Hate to ruin the moment."

"Better I find out now before I ask at a worse time." Krystal began to think, and then nodded.

"Alright. When I was three, my dad abandoned my mom and me. My mom worked her ass off to get enough money to support herself and me. It was hard, I could tell. Then after she couldn't take it anymore, she killed herself. I was five. I was at the babysitters when I found out mommy was dead." She didn't start crying. Jason guessed it was because she was used to it, heard herself say it enough times.

"Then after that, I was placed into an orphanage till I was picked up at age seven. I spent a month with that family, who then sent me back. At eight, I was picked up again, then sent back. Nine, picked up, sent back. Ever seen the movie Problem Child?" She asked. Jason nodded. "Then you get it.

"By the time I was ten, I had been to five different families and back to the orphanage five times. This is my sixth house. I've been here for about a year and a half."

"You like it here?" he asked.

"Better than the other five at least. Better than my mother. Most of the time it's because I don't like their rules. The main thing is because all the houses I've been to were religious, but I'm not. I insulted them a few times. Helen is religious, but she doesn't take it to the extreme. One family took me, because I was cute. When they found out I wasn't religious, they turned the car around. I hadn't even gotten to the house yet." Jason managed a slight chuckle, still wishing he hadn't asked. "And that's my story. Tell me, how were you fortunate enough to be born to a billionaire and a loving family."

"Just luck," Jason said with a shrug, knowing the odds were stacked pretty high.

"Damn straight. And before you ask, I do want to stay here. I like this place. I have my own room, my own space, and they're really nice. They have easy to follow rules, the usual 'where were you?' parental stuff I've never experienced in my life. It isn't nagging, they actually care. That's a first for me." Jason just looked at her. He wasn't sure what do or say. But knew he couldn't say nothing.

"Then stay," he said to her. "I think they like you, because you're more like the real thing. Parenting is more than just tucking your kid in at night, or changing their diapers. It's about putting up with them as they grow up. People who adopt, want to avoid that stage. They don't. This is the closest thing to being parents they will ever know. They like problem childs, because they're real." She nodded. He was right. Then he noticed something. "Speaking of them, where are they?"

"They left to go shopping. The only ones here are Bianca and Kaylie. There was a note on the counter." Then Kaylie snuck into to the room trying to be sneaky, they the two just watched her. "Speak of the devil."

Kaylie placed a finger to her lips, then made a _shh_ sound. Sneaking through the living room she got halfway through then began to walk backwards. Then they saw Bianca's head lean in around the corner, she was also sneaking. The two smiled because now they understood. Hide and seek.

Kaylie bumped into Bianca and spun around. Seeing her she ran the other way. Bianca was 'it' obviously. Bianca quickly and playfully went after her, if she really wanted to, she could have already grabbed her. Kaylie being her usual self, was going to fast, was too excited, and head butted the doorframe. Hitting the floor, she began to cry, as a thin line of blood began to run out of her nose.

"Oh my god!" Bianca said as she knelt down to help Kaylie.That was the hardest she had ever hit anything. A cut was on her head that was bleeding like her nose.

"Oh no," Bianca said, seeing she was unable to control her crying. A crying baby makes anyone think birth control is great. Thinking she looked at Krystal, but had already forgotten her name.

"Could you get me a wet rag?" Krystal nodded then went into the kitchen. "Jason, could you calm her down?" She asked, knowing if anyone in the house could, it'd be her brother. Jason nodded then picked up Kaylie.

Bianca walked into the kitchen looking for a phone number to reach Aelita. Seeing a list of numbers left for her on the counter she called Aelita's cell. It rang twice before Aelita answered. "Hello?" She asked.

"Aelita, it's Bianca, Kaylie hurt herself." Aelita stopped walking, her baby was hurt.

"Is it bad?" She asked before she overreacted.

"Not really. Just a little cut. You're not going to believe this, but she head butted the door frame. She's bleeding some, not much though, just her nose and forehead."

"It's happens a lot actually. She's a little clumsy. Is she crying?" Bianca took the phone off her hear and held it out into the living room so Aelita could hear. "Yeah, she's crying. Let me talk to her."

Bianca walked into the room and handed the phone to Jason, who held it against Kaylie's ear. "Sweetie, it's mommy." Aelita hushed Kaylie quickly, insuring she'd be home soon. Amy walked out of the dressing room to show her mother the outfit she was thinking about buying and needed a second opinion, but she was busy with Kaylie. Amy lowered her head, and walked back in.

Krystal came back a minute later with a rag to clean her head and tears. Wiping it off she looked at Kaylie then said, "You'll be okay. Just a little bump, maybe a battle scar." Kaylie didn't smile. "Look at me," She said to her. Kaylie raised her head up, but was looking at the wall. "Hey, look at me."

"I am," she said as if Krystal was stupid. Krystal was about to say something before she figured something out.

"How many fingers am I holding up?" she asked. Kaylie looked at her hand, three fingers were up, but she saw more. Kaylie knew she couldn't answer right, so lowered her head again. Krystal smiled.

"What?" Jason asked.

"She needs glasses."


	11. No one likes glasses

"Better...Worse...Worse...better," Kaylie said as the eye doctor tried to find her prescription for glasses. She was too young to get contacts, so she'd have to deal with these for a few years. Aelita and Odd were in the room sitting on chairs as the doctor moved the lenses around to find which one helped her best. It had been going for at least twenty minutes.

"Better...worse...better...better...worse," Kaylie said. The doctor flipped a lever on the equipment to go to the larger, thicker lenses. "Better...better...umm, I can see, but it's still a little..."

"Fuzzy?" The doctor asked.

"Yeah," Kaylie responded.

Aelita was a little disappointed in herself. All of the accidents, tripping on the stairs, walking into door frames, were not clumsiness.

"It's my fault," Aelita said to Odd as the doctor kept looking.

"Why?" Odd asked, having no idea why she came to that conclusion.

"Because, I didn't stop to think maybe she can't see well. I'm a horrible mother."

"Aelita, she's two years old, any other parent would of thought the same thing," Odd said to her. "You're not a horrible mother."

"Better...better...I see clear," Kaylie said aloud. Aelita looked over and saw that the lens equipment was away from her face now and the doctor was writing down her lens prescription. A moment later he came back with a lens and frame for her so she could see what they would look like. The handed them to Aelita who placed them on Kaylie, actually haven't looked at the lenses yet.

"Holy shh...wow Kaylie," Aelita said when she saw Kaylie in them, restraining herself from swearing.

"What?" Kaylie asked. Odd looked at her and had the same reaction as Aelita, just not verbally.

"Look in the mirror Kaylie," Aelita said to her. 'Oh my god,' Aelita said to herself. Kaylie got off her chair then walked over to the mirror. She liked the fact she could see better. She had no clue she was supposed to see like this. Then she looked in the mirror.

Her glasses had quarter of an inch thick lenses that magnified her eyes. They were even bigger than Kelly's glasses. Kaylie took one look at herself, then began to cry. She threw the glasses on the ground then ran to the corner of the room. Aelita expected this, or something like it.

Aelita walked over and crouched down next to Kaylie who was crying. "Kaylie, it isn't that bad," Aelita said to her.

"Mommy, I don't like them," Kaylie said to her.

"Sweetie, you can't see well without them. Do you want to keep running into walls, and falling on the stairs? I'm worried that one day, you'll fall down the stairs. Please, just wear them."

"No," Kaylie said to her. Aelita was surprised. That usually worked. Her motherly tone and motherly nurturing wasn't working. Usually Aelita had to say something in a soft, kind tone and Kaylie would cooperate. Like when she gets a shot. Today it wasn't working.

"Kaylie," Aelita said to her. It went from her mother voice, to her annoyed mother voice. Kaylie could tell she was annoyed.

"I look stupid," she said to her.

"Honey, you couldn't look stupid in anything," Aelita said to her. Aelita picked up the glasses from the ground then placed them back over her eyes. "You're beautiful no matter what."

Kaylie took them off then looked at them. If they were just a little different, then she'd be able to tolerate them a little more.

"Do they come in pink," she asked. Aelita smiled then nodded.

* * *

Aelita opened the door to the house for Kaylie who walked in with her head down. Her large pink rimmed glasses made her feel stupid. Amy was in the living watching tv while sitting on the couch upside down, her long pink hair on the floor. Turning her head she saw Kaylie who lifted up her head. She burst out laughing.

Kaylie turned the other way and began to cry, running into the other room. She ran straight pass Jason who moved out of the way. 'Amy,' he said to himself because she's the only one who makes Kaylie run out of a room crying. When he walked into the living room he saw Aelita tugging Amy off the couch and pulling her into another room.

"Amy, I'm warning you. If you make Kaylie feel bad because of her glasses, you're grounded till your back at your fathers. Do I make myself clear?" Aelita said, with her authority voice.

"Crystal clear, mom. Let my arm go, you're going to rip it off." Aelita let her arm go and Amy began to rub it for circulation. "What's her problem anyway? They're just glasses."

"What's your problem with them? You laughed at her. And if I wasn't there, you would of said something to her," Aelita said, knowing her own daughter well enough to predict her behavior.

"No I wouldn't of," Amy said to her. Aelita just sighed then looked to her left, then back at her.

"She's upset about them. Until she's used to them, the word glasses isn't in your vocabulary."

"I got it. Don't make her sad. Geez mom I get it," Amy said to her then walked out of the room. Aelita leaned against the wall trying to calm herself down. Amy was becoming a brat, and she needed to do something before the transformation was complete. But before that, she needed to find and console Kaylie.

* * *

Kaylie had decided to run all the way up the stairs. She figured the higher she got, the further she'd get from Amy. Running around the circular hall on the second floor she then began to run up the stairs to the third floor. Only four doors were on this floor. A bathroom, a closet, an attic, and a bedroom. The first door she got to was cracked ajar so she ran in there.

A moment later Krystal came out of the bathroom drying her hair, already changed into her pajamas. Gray boxers and a black tank top. Stretching once she stopped and looked off the edge of the railing then turned around to go to her room. She wasn't going to sleep yet, but she just felt like taking a shower and wearing something comfortable.

Pushing her door open the first thing she heard was someone crying. Following the tears and the hiccups she found someone was under her blanket crying. She knew it was either Kelly or Kaylie, because of how big the person in the blanket was, but guessd Kaylie because she hadn't seen Kelly cry. Krystal recognized the crying.

"Kaylie?" She guessed, sitting on her futon mattress.

"Leave me alone," Kaylie said, though she didn't know who it was. Krystal grabbed the blanket and slid it off Kaylie's head to look at her. Krystal saw her glasses, and knew why she was crying.

Kaylie lifted up her head, waiting for Krystal to take a shot at her. She didn't. "You look so cute now. Well, not you didn't before, but you're really cute now," Krystal said to her. Kaylie then looked at Krystal's mirror.

"No I don't," Kaylie said to her sadly.

"Are you calling me a liar?" Krystal asked playfully. "Trust me. You look better. Calm down, no matter what anyone says. You're always cute." Kaylie smiled, and then wiped her face off using Krystal's blanket.

"Kaylie!" Aelita shouted trying to find her.

"I think your mommy wants you. Go ahead," Krystal said to her. Kaylie got up them ran halfway to the door, and then turned around. Running back she hugged Krystal then ran outside to meet Aelita.


	12. A day at the pool

Odd was sitting on the couch the next day, the twenty second of December. It was boring and he was just watching television. Nothing was on, so he just watched commercials. Aelita had just gotten back with Amy and Kaylie to go shopping for something. Aelita walked up from behind Odd and placed her head on his shoulder.

Odd tilted his head to the side and kissed her. "Hey, what did you guys get?" Odd asked. Aelita smiled then dropped a clothing article in his lap. Odd picked it up and looked at it. It was a pair of swimming trunks. "It's the middle of winter."

"There's an indoor pool about twenty minutes away. So everyone is going swimming. Coming?" Odd didn't really want to do anything today. It was one of those laid back days.

"I think I'll pass," Odd said to her, then looked at the tv.

"I bought a pink bikini," Aelita said to him.

" Are these in my size?" Odd asked, changing his mind quickly.

* * *

The indoor pool was not at all crowded. Only about twenty people were here, mostly little kids with parents. The group walked into the pool and looked at it. It was nice. Large pool, a kid pool that was perfect for Kaylie, diving boards and a slid. Jason put his trunks on under his pants so got changed quickly then sat a chair.

Krystal was in a long sleeved over sized shirt that reached her mid thighs. "Going swimming or not?" She asked him.

"No. Not a big swimmer," Jason said to her.

"What are you, scared?" Krystal asked mockingly.

"No when I was five some kids were dunking me and I almost drowned," Jason said to her. Krystal stopped trying to be funny. Then she thought of a way to get him in the pool.

"I bet you I can get you in with one try," Krystal said to him.

"Yeah, how?" he asked, waiting for whatever her plan was. Krystal grabbed the lower part of the shirt and pulled it up and off. Jason couldn't help but stare at her body in the tight blue bikini.

"You win," he said then jumped in the pool.

Aelita was in the dressing room changing into her bikini that got Odd off the couch. He leaned against the wall as Kaylie and Amy waited for her as well. She'd been in there for awhile.

"Aelita, come on," Odd said to her.

"I haven't been in one of these things since I was seventeen," Aelita said from behind the curtain.

"Are you done yet?" he asked again.

"Yeah, here I come." Aelita pulled the curtain back and Odd looked at her. Odd still had no idea how he got lucky enough to win Aelita. Besides loving her, he also loved her body. It was naturally beautiful, and looked good in anything.

"Wow," Amy said aloud. "Mom in bikini, I'm going to go throw up," Amy said then walked toward the diving boards. Kaylie had no opinion. Mommy was mommy.

"What is that?" Kaylie asked, though she couldn't hide her curiosity.

"It's something you'll never get to wear till you're in college," Odd said to her.

"Why?" Kaylie asked.

"Because, I don't want you to get pregnant," Odd said to her.

"Odd!" Aelita said to him, teaching Kaylie a little too much.

"What's pregnant?" Aelita shook her head; she knew Odd was waiting for her to ask that.

"Pregnant is a time where if daddy doesn't come home with ice cream, he should start digging his own grave," Odd said to her. Aelita giggled. She taught him well.

Odd and Aelita took Kaylie to the kid pool so she could get her first swimming lessons. While at the eye doctor, Aelita got Kaylie some goggles that had her prescription so she could still swim. Jason popped out of the water then looked at them, then looked at Aelita. Swimming towards the edge he watched Aelita as she walked by carrying Kaylie. Odd noticed and stopped in front of him, pushing his son in the water with his foot.

"Dad, your wife is hot," Jason said to him.

"Thanks. Watch the eyes buddy," Odd threatened then followed them. Jason watched Aelita's butt from the distance then went back to his business, diving under and swimming under Krystal, who knew he was there the entire time.

Meanwhile Amy was on the high dive looking straight down. She hated diving from high dives. Walking to the edge she bounced softly the fell to then water below. She surfaced then swam slowly to the ladder and climbed out, moving her hair out of her eyes. She saw Aelita playing with Kaylie in the kid pool and sighed.

"All she cares about is Kaylie," She said to herself. Then she felt around her neck then noticed something for the first time since she got out from the dive. Her necklace was gone. Looking at the bottom of the pool she saw something shiny at the bottom and knew it was her necklace. "Great."

Sean and the girls were here as well, mostly in the lap pool. Sean was swimmer so spent a lot of time swimming. He taught Kelly and Bianca how to swim, dive, and everything else he knew. Seeing Aelita and Odd in the kid pool area with Kelly and Kaylie who were having fun splashing each other, he pulled himself out of the lap pool and walked towards them.

Sitting on the edge of the pool, the water reaching his knees, he watched the girls play. Aelita walked over to him and sat next to him.

"It's nice to see how well the two get along," Aelita said him.

"I agree," Sean said then leaned back and propped himself up with his arms. Odd looked at Sean and Aelita and noticed Sean every now and then would take a quick side glance at Aelita. He usually didn't mind men taking glances at Aelita, he's honest enough to admit he looks at other women. But Aelita was the only one he loved. Sean's glance was different that most men's. It wasn't saying, "Nice body." It was the look he gave her usually. "I see it a lot, but still love it."

"Odd?" Sean asked him, because he noticed Odd was watching him.

"What?" Odd asked. He'd have to keep a eye out for Sean.

"Kaylie look," Kelly said to Kaylie then pointed over to the diving boards. Amy was on the high dive again, looking at her necklace in the water. Aelita looked and saw that as well. "I can't do the high dive, my dad won't let me."

Amy then jumped off the board then began to swim down for her necklace. Five feet down, seven to go. Amy aimed her body down and pumped her arms to reach the necklace next to the drain. She reached the bottom of the pool, but had trouble grabbing her necklace. Every time she reached for it, the water pushed it away. Grabbing the chain she grabbed it, and then kicked off the ground, knocking off the cover to the drain on accident.

She started to swim for a few seconds, before she realized, she wasn't moving. The drain was pulling her back down. Amy desperately tried to fight it, but it was too strong, and she was too small to fight it. Her lungs began to burn, as she began to lose consciousness.

Aelita was watching and waiting for Amy to surface. After thirty seconds and nothing she stood up and looked at the water. "She didn't surface Odd," Aelita said to him.

"What?" Odd asked.

"She didn't surface!" Aelita shouted then ran toward the diving area. She looked at the bottom of the pool and saw her stuck at the bottom, too weak to fight it anymore. "Amy!"

Odd ran over and saw her. "I got her," Odd said then jumped in. Aelita watched as Odd swam down and quickly grabbed Amy. Ten seconds later Odd and Amy surfaced and Odd handed Amy to Aelita.

"Oh my god, Amy look at me," Aelita said to her, trying to see if she was okay or not. Amy was coughing violently trying to get the water out of her lungs. Aelita hugged her tightly, crying in worry. Amy looked at her mother then coughed a few more times. The pool had stopped and everyone was watching Amy and Aelita. Amy liked this attention from her mother, then looked at everyone else and felt embarrassed.

"I'm fine mom," Amy said then tried to walk away. Aelita grabbed her back then looked at her.

"Don't ever do that again, you gave me a heart attack," Aelita said, hoping she was being clear.

"I said I'm fine," Amy said.

"Come on, let's get you dried off," Aelita said then walked Amy to the women's locker room. Amy didn't complain. It seemed for once since Kaylie was born, she knew she existed.


	13. The past is the past

"Jeremie, calm down," Aelita said to her ex-husband on the phone.

"What do you mean calm down, I'm scared because my daughter could have drowned. Where were you?" Jeremie asked her.

"I was in the kiddy pool with Kaylie. I saw her jump off the high dive, then not surface. I reacted as fast as I could," Aelita said to him, trying to make him realize it was just an accident.

"Were there any life guards watching her? You can't keep your eye off her," Jeremie said her.

"She isn't a baby anymore Jeremie."

"Well she isn't able to watch after herself," Jeremie shouted back at her. Aelita took her hear off the phone then took a breath. She divorced him so she wouldn't have to argue with him.

"I can't talk to you right now. I'll talk later okay," Aelita said then hung up the phone before he could respond. Aelita walked into the living room and sat on the couch between Kaylie and Kelly who were drawing again.

"Mommy look," Kaylie said then held up a picture of something Aelita couldn't tell what t was.

"That's nice honey," Aelita said then sighed. So much for vacation. Odd came from behind and leaned over her from the right side of her face.

"You okay?" Odd asked.

"No," Aelita said honestly.

"Come on we'll talk upstairs," Odd said to her. Aelita looked at Kaylie, rubbed her hair, then walked up stairs with Odd. Odd closed the door behind them and then sat on the bed with Aelita.

"What's wrong?" Odd asked. Aelita looked at the pink comforter, then at Odd.

"I think Jeremie might call a lawyer for full custody," Aelita said to him.

"Because of yesterday? That was an accident," Odd said to her. "No one got hurt, everyone's fine."

"I know, but he thinks that I wasn't watching her," Aelita said.

"You were the only one who noticed she didn't surface. If anything you were the only one watching her," Odd said. "Jeremie's just scared because he can't baby her year round." Aelita smiled. He had a point.

"If he calls a lawyer, he won't win. No jury in the world would take Amy away from a mother as good as you," Odd said to her. Aelita hugged him tightly. "Try to have some fun. Christmas eve is tomorrow."

"Thanks Odd," Aelita said then kissed him. Then she remembered a few days back. "I bought a pregnancy test while I was out," Aelita said to him.

"And?" Odd asked. Aelita sighed.

"Negative," Aelita said to him. "Then I'll check later, just in case it can't detect it yet," Aelita said.

"Can't wait," Odd said.

* * *

Amy hadn't even changed out of pajamas that day. Everything was still a little off. A near death experience tends to do that. She was lying on her bed reading a book, her hair disorganized because she hadn't even showered. Flipping a page she heard her door creak open.

"You okay, usually you're up bugging people right now," Bianca said to her.

"Well, I did almost die," Amy said to her, the continued to read the page.

"Oh come on, you had at least a minute," Bianca said then sat next to her. "So what's the deal with you and Kaylie?"

"What do you mean?" Amy asked, not sure what she was trying to say.

"You seem to enjoy messing with her," Bianca said to her, then fell back to lay on the bed.

"Isn't that what a little sister is for," Amy said sarcastically.

"No. I never mistreat Kelly. Sure I tease her, but I don't treat her as poorly you do with Kaylie. Why?" Amy never thought to far into that. But with her being as smart as she was, did the math.

Aelita used to spend every minute she had with Amy. The arguments started, and Aelita got divorced and married Odd. Less than a year later, Kaylie was born. Aelita saw Amy less because of the divorce. Whenever Amy came over, Kaylie was always there. Aelita took Kaylie everywhere with her. Aelita only talked about Kaylie, her attention was on Kaylie. Amy got an A on a test; it was over looked because Kaylie started to walk. Kaylie, Kaylie, Kaylie. Aelita's world revolved around Kaylie.

Amy began to cry. Bianca hugged her tightly. "What's wrong?" Bianca asked. "What did I do?"

"My mom loves Kaylie more," Amy said to herself softely.

* * *

Odd couldn't help but noticed he caught Sean taking peaks at Aelita whenever he had the chance. It wasn't a quick glance because she was a beautiful stranger you could look at but not have a relationship with. It was a long glance, as if he already had one. Odd didn't think it good to approach Sean on this, so decided to approach Aelita.

Odd opened the bedroom door to see Aelita getting changed for bed. She just taking off her rope, and Odd stepped in, and closed the door.

"Sorry," Odd said then walked over and sat on the bed.

"Nothing you haven't seen before," Aelita said, then opened her suitcase for a pair of panties. Slipping them on, then her pajama pants and sat on the bed then looked at Odd. "You okay?"

"Aelita am I missing something, or is there something with you and Sean I don't know," Odd asked. It was easier to just get into the conversation than to float around it for half an hour.

"Why do you ask?" Aelita asked him.

"Sean takes glances at you. He flirts, and the other usual suspicious stuff," Odd said to her. Aelita looked at the bed then at him.

"What are you asking me Odd," Aelita said to him.

"Has something happened between you two?" Odd asked. Aelita felt a little better. Odd didn't think she wascheating on him, but he knew there was something between Sean and Aelita.

"When we were adopted, I lived with Sean and Chris for a few years. When I went to college, and Sean went to senior year, we started to date. That year, Springbreak I came back. On the day before I went back, we got drunk," Aelita said to him.

"Are you saying what I think you are? You slept with him?" Odd asked.

"Worse than that. I lost my virginity to him. Remember that day in college I said I started drinking about the same time I had my first sexual experience?" Aelita asked him. Odd thought back and remembered. At the time he thought she was being sarcastic.

"That's it," Odd asked.

"Yeah. We broke up beginning of my sophomore year of college. I wasn't ready, and that ruined it. You were the second I should say before you ask," Aelita said to him. "I'm still not sure if I was ready then, but I was ready to be with you."

Odd smiled then lay next to her on the bed. Leaning over and kissing her Odd felt a tug at the lower part of his shirt. Odd sat up then took it off. Walking over to the door, he locked it, and then walked over to the bed. Aelita grabbed his belt and undid it, and then Odd slipped his pants off. Aelita reached to the side of the bed and turned the lamp off. Leaning over she kissed him, then felt her bra come lose.

Letting it slid off her shoulder, Odd kissed her neck, the worked his way back to her lips. Aelita pulled the blanket over both of them then quickly slipped her pajama pants off, then threw them to the side of the bed.

"No matter what happens, I'll always love you," Odd said to her. Aelita smiled at him. She loved how he could let the past, be the past.

"Ditto," Aelita said to him then kissed him again. Aelita sat up then, and then pushed him down on the bed. "My turn to be on top."


	14. Accusing

Odd opened his eyes the next morning, and smiled. He had just remembered what day it was. Christmas Eve. He knew it was, because it was ten am, and he was willing to get up. Pushing the blankets off him he stood up then walked over to his suit case. Grabbing a pair of pants he slipped them on quickly and left the room after kissing Aelita on the cheek.

Walking down the stairs he stepped into the living room to see that everyone was already awake. They were all moving around the house with decorations for the tree. Before Odd left America to start his business, he remembered his family put the tree up weeks in advance. Aelita grew up with putting the tree up on Christmas Eve, and taking it down on new years

Stepping through the entrance to the living room he saw Bianca leaning against the wall waiting for him. "Morning Mr. Robbia," she said, slightly looking above them. Odd noticed and looked. He saw mistletoe. Odd looked back at her.

"You can't be serious?" He asked. Bianca smiled then kissed him on the cheek. She walked away with a smile. She wasn't serious at all, just wanted to see how he'd react.

Under the entrance of the living room wasn't the only mistletoe setup. There was another being placed above the kitchen door. Krystal was on her Tipp toes trying to stick it on. Jason walked by and saw her struggling, so walked over and helped her. When it was up he grabbed her cheeks, kissed her on the lips solidly for several seconds, then walked away before she could kiss back.

Krystal stood there baffled. It was so fast; she didn't have time to kiss back. Which made her realize, if she had the time, she would have?

"Are you going after him or what?" Bianca said to her. Krystal looked at her, smiled then went to find Jason. She found him in the living room helping with the lights and saw that the closet door was open, and no one was looking. She walked by, grabbed his arm, pulled him in the closet, and closed the door.

Amy was helping with the lights even though she wasn't really in a good mood. Last night had really made her sad. But she couldn't let that ruin her Christmas. Unraveling the next bunch of lights she handed them off to Helen and they kept going around. In less than fifteen minutes the hardest part was over. Next everyone started to place on the ornaments.

This was Kaylie's third Christmas. She liked it because it was so close to her birthday. Her parents were off work so she was always with them. Jason and Amy were over as well. Jason was fun to be around, Amy was a different story. But Kaylie didn't care how much Amy made her cry. Because, it was outweighed by the things that made her smile.

Aelita walked down the stairs at about eleven thirty to see the tree up and everyone talking. Odd was waiting for her by the entry to the living room. When she rounded the corner Odd walked around and softly pinned her against the wall. It surprised her, but pleasantly.

"What's gotten into you?" Aelita said to her like she was enjoying this. It was slightly kinky.

"Look up," Odd said to her. Mistletoe. Aelita smiled then kissed him deeply, then looked at the tree.

"You guys did the tree without me," Aelita complained.

"Sorry," Helen said, "We wanted it up before noon, and knew you wouldn't be up in time for us to finish it before then. But we saved you the Angel," Helen said to her. Helen looked around, and then noticed they hadn't taken it out.

"Roger, where's the angel?" Helen asked, still looking for it.

"I think it's in the closet," he said to her. Helen nodded then walked over to the closet. Helen opened it, and saw what was inside.

"Oh shit!" She said then shut the door. Some noise was heard behind the door and everyone was looking at Helen. "I'm going to count to five, when I do I'm opening the door."

Helen counted to five then opened the door. Krystal and Jason were in the closet, beet red from embarrassment. Krystal stepped out first, and tried to run but Helen grabbed her sleeve and held onto her. "Jason."

Jason stepped out then sat on the couch. Helen motioned to the couch, and Krystal sat on it next to Jason. Bianca was heard snickering through the silence and Jason and Krystal grew redder.

"Now then, the angel," Helen said then looked for it in the closet. "Here it is." Helen said then carried it out and closed the door. She handed it to Aelita. Aelita walked over to the tree, and couldn't reach the top. She had never been able to.

Aelita smiled then walked over to Amy. "Hold this for a sec sweetie," Aelita said to her. Amy rolled her eyes then took the Angel. A second later Aelita grabbed her picked her up over her head.

"Whoa!" Amy said aloud surprised. After she calmed down she realized what her mother wanted her to do. Amy put the angel on the tree but off center.

"It's not straight honey," Aelita said to her. Amy smiled then fixed it. Amy and Aelita fell onto another couch and Aelita kissed Amy on the forehead. It was a strange turn of events for Amy. She would have guess Kaylie would have been the one getting picked up. Whatever it was, Amy really needed the attention, and she enjoyed it.

"Good honey," Aelita said then let Amy stand up. Amy didn't stand up, which surprised Aelita. Amy hadn't wanted to cuddle with her mother since she was six. Now she was. Aelita was enjoying this too.

* * *

Later on that day Amy was in her room picking out clothes for tomorrow. Roger walked by and saw her. Walking in the room he sat on her bed then smiled at her.

"You look so much like your mother," he said to her.

"I know," Amy said, because she got that a lot.

"Your mother was really excited when she found out she was pregnant with you. Bouncing off the walls, like a five year old on a sugar high."

"She was?" Amy asked. "I figured she'd be depressed about it because of my father."

"Your parents don't hate each other, they just don't like each other," Roger said.

"What's the difference?" Amy asked.

"Well, hate is a stronger type of aggression. Disliking someone is where you prefer to not be with them, but if you have to you can deal with it. Your father isn't exactly an easy man to live with last I heard."

"I'll give my mom that one. He can never make up his mind. Everything has to be perfect with him, and he thinks he's perfect when he isn't. I'm sad my parents got divorced, but at least I don't have to hear them argue with each other."

"Glad you're taking it at a mature level," he said to her then stood up. "See you later," he said then patted her on the back. Amy winced in pain and flinched a little. "What was that?"

Amy looked at him then looked away. Roger pulled her shirt collar on her back down so he could look at her shoulder. There was a bruise.

"Where did you get that bruise?" He asked. Amy sighed then kept going through her stuff.

"No where, it's nothing," Amy said then pulled her shirt back. Roger wasn't buying it. He had a bad feeling about it. He left the room a second later

* * *

Aelita was in the bathroom with Kaylie cleaning her. Kaylie hadn't been in the bath for a few days so she was due for one. Kaylie was a strange baby. She enjoyed baths and didn't avoid them like the plague. Aelita usually wore an old shirt when she bathed her because Kaylie liked to splash for fun. Aelita enjoyed how much fun it was to clean her.

"Cover your eyes," Aelita said to her. Kaylie shut her eyes as Aelita got a cup of water and poured it on her head to rinse the shampoo out. When that was done Kaylie shook her head and hit Aelita with some water. Aelita smiled then splashed Kaylie who splashed her back.

"Girls, don't make a mess," Helen said as she walked by.

"Okay mom," Aelita said laughed with Kaylie. Helen smiled because they were just so cute. A few minutes later Aelita wrapped Kaylie in a blanket and carried her to her room. She dried her off and got some Kaylie some underwear before helping her pick out something to wear. Today was a baby blue skirt that reached just above her knees, and a pink long sleeved shirt.

"How do you want your hair done today?" Aelita asked her. Kaylie thought, and while she was thinking Roger knocked at the open door. "Hey dad."

"Aelita can I talk to you for a second," Roger asked her. Aelita nodded then looked at Kaylie.

"Be right back," she said, leaving Kaylie with a kiss on the cheek. Aelita walked into the hall and stood next to her adopted father. Roger shut the door, and Aelita knew this was bad if he didn't want Kaylie to hear it.

"How is Odd as a father?" Roger asked. It was a strange question.

"He's great. The kids love him, he loves them and he loves being a dad. Why do you ask?" Aelita asked him.

"Where did Amy get the bruise on her shoulder?" Roger asked. Aelita looked at him puzzled.

"She has a bruise?" Aelita asked.

"Don't lie about it. Has someone hit her," Roger asked.

"What! What are you accusing me of?" Aelita asked.

"Not you, Odd," Roger said to her.

"I can't believe this. Odd would never touch her, or anyone for that matter."

"He hit Jeremie," Roger said to her.

"Jeremie slapped me and Odd was there to defend me. That's completely different. Odd doesn't drink, smoke, gamble, or anything like that. And you think he's hitting my daughter. He only sees her twice a year anyway."

"Is he hitting you as well?" Roger asked.

"Stop it!" Aelita shouted at him. "Odd would never do anything to harm us. I trust him, and I love him. He's my husband, and I stand by him. How Amy got the bruise, I don't know, but it wasn't from Odd."

Aelita looked over Roger's shoulder and saw Odd. "What's going on?" Odd asked.

"Odd I'm going to ask you a question. Have you ever hit Amy," Roger asked Odd.

"Dad!" Aelita shouted at her.

"Why do you think I hit her," Odd asked.

"She has a large bruise on her right shoulder. If you didn't do it, what did?" Roger asked. Odd thought about it, then remembered.

"The right shoulder?" Roger nodded. "On the flight she was hit with the food cart when it passed by." Odd said to her. Aelita suddenly remembered as well.

"Oh yeah, that's right," Aelita said to them.

Amy walked in when she heard the arguing. "Did you get hit by a food cart?" Roger asked. Amy nodded.

"On the flight. That's what the bruise was. I just didn't want to talk about it because it's embarrassing to get over parented," Amy said then walked down the stairs. Roger looked at a very angry Aelita, and an insulted Odd.

"Well, this is awkward," Roger said to them. "I'm going down stairs." Roger walked down stairs leaving Aelita and Odd on the steps.

"You know I'd never…" Odd began.

"I know. Let it slide. Tomorrow is Christmas so let's make the best of it."


	15. Christmas disaster

Early morning, while everyone was asleep Odd slipped down stairs and walked to the tree. Opening the box he was carrying he placed the item on the tree then threw the box away. Walking back upstairs he saw it was still two in the morning. Cuddling next to his wife he closed his eyes with a smile.

* * *

Jason opened his eyes and saw the clock on the wall of the room he was staying in. It was six thirty in the morning. A perfect time to get up on Christmas morning. Throwing the blankets off himself he stretched then walked across his room and out his door.

Walking over to Kaylie and Kelly's room he opened the door to see them cuddling with their stuff animals on their sides of the bed. Jason walked to Kaylie's side and leaned toward her head.

"Kaylie," Jason said to her. Kaylie squirmed in her sleep a bit before she opened her eyes. "Merry Christmas."

"Mmhmm," Kaylie said then hugged Mr. Puck. "Christmas!" She said then suddenly got excited.

"Kelly, Kelly, get up," Kaylie said to her cousin, trying to wake her up. She began to nudge Kelly, who opened her eyes startled.

"What!" Kelly asked her.

"Christmas!" Kaylie said to her. Kelly was wide awake now, a moment later flinging the blanket off herself. Kaylie crawled off the bed and started to run, but Jason stopped her.

"Kaylie," Jason said to her, then showed her the glasses. Kaylie frowned then put her head down.

"Do I have to?" Kaylie asked. Jason sighed. She really hated those things. Jason sighed but knew she couldn't get out the door without hitting the frame. Jason smiled, figuring he could at least help her because it was Christmas.

"Don't tell your mom, but I'll let you not wear them, only if I carry downstairs, okay?" Jason asked. Kaylie nodded big then let Jason pick her up. "But when she comes out, they go back on."

"I know," She said, knowing that her mother wouldn't negotiate like Jason had. When they walked outside of the room they saw Bianca walk by. Jason wanted to do something else real quick.

"Bianca, could you take her downstairs. I'll get Krystal," Jason said to her. Bianca nodded then took Kaylie and walked downstairs with her and her sister. Moving up the stairs Jason walked onto the third floor and pulled his hand up to knock, a second later the door opened.

"Oh," Krystal said to him, "here to get me up?"

"Yeah," Jason answered. Jason looked at her, she was already changed into pajama pants instead of boxers, but she was still in the tank top.

"It's Christmas, kids naturally wake up early on this day," She said then walked pass him, and closed her door. Before it shut, Jason noticed something. Her room was cleaner, not clean, but cleaner.

"I guess so," Jason said then started down the stairs ahead of her. When he got halfway through the half circle hall, Krystal grabbed his hand and walked even with him. Jason almost said something, but decided to just squeeze hers a little.

While they walked by Amy opened her door and stepped out groggy, but excited. Christmas was fun and all, but even she didn't think it was necessary to get up so early. None the less she dragged herself out of bed and began to climb down the stairs. The smell of coffee brewing was coming from the kitchen, because the adults wouldn't get up if it wasn't made, and they needed to be there while they opened the presents.

Flopping herself on the couch Amy lay back as Jason began the fun game of organizing the gifts. He started a Jason pile, Amy pile, Kaylie pile, and everyone else had their own pile. Everyone heard a door shut from upstairs and Sean start to walk down the stairs. A minute later Chris walked down stairs as well. He hated Christmas, but didn't like to let himself bother everyone else's mood. His wife and child died around Christmas.

Some time later within the next ten minutes, Helen and Roger woke up and sat on one of the couches together. A minute later they heard the last door open, and Kaylie put her glasses back on so Aelita wouldn't be angry. Kaylie had never seen her mother angry besides with Amy. Her glasses were something she so far seemed pushy with. Kaylie did understand that Aelita wanted her to wear them, because not having them had caused so many accidents. Aelita didn't want Kaylie to be hurt.

"Merry Christmas mommy," Kaylie said as Aelita foot reached the ground floor and walked over to Kaylie. Aelita picked Kaylie up off the couch, sat down, and then placed Kaylie on her lap.

"Can we start?" Kelly asked. All the adults looked at each other and the kids started. Jason began with his smallest one that was a watch from his dad. Next he opened one of the medium sized ones, it was a medium box that was stacked with a five dvds he had asked for.

Amy opened her stuff next. It was great stuff, what she had asked for. A cell phone, a certain pair of shoes, and a memory stick for her computer. Kaylie got a few new toys she needed help opening because she hadn't really developed her hand movement effectively enough to open the gifts.

When the wrapping paper was being gathered after everyone had their gifts opened, Bianca noticed a decoration that wasn't on the tree yesterday. She looked at it, and then smiled.

"Oh my god, check this out," Bianca said taking it off the tree and showing it to her sister.

"Gross," Kelly said aloud the shivered. She pushed the ornament away from her. Bianca then showed it too her father, and circulated it around the room till everyone had seen it, except for Amy.

"Let me see it again," Helen said. Bianca tossed it over and Helen smiled at it. "They're so cute."

"What is?" Amy asked everyone. All of the women in the room were awing at the picture. She hadn't seen it yet. Helen showed the ball to Kaylie, the only one who hadn't seen it besides Amy or Aelita.

"It's Anthony," Kaylie said. Amy's ears pricked up. 'Please no.' Amy snatched the ball ornament away and almost screamed. The picture of her and Anthony had been turned into a ball ornament for all to see.

"Was that her first kiss?" "They're so cute." "When's the wedding?" "Did you like it?" Everyone was asking her questions at once. She didn't like it.

"Shut up!" Amy shouted, cocked her arm back and threw the ball across the room. Everyone watched as it hit the wall and shattered into a million pieces. Everyone looked back at Amy who broke down into tears and ran upstairs.

"Oh shit," Aelita said then ran after her. Amy had a head start and was faster so made it to her room and shut the door, locking it behind her. Aelita turned the knob and pushed but only ran into the door. She knocked on it.

"Leave me alone!" Amy shouted.

"Amy, open the door," Aelita said to her.

"No! I hate all of you. You're ruining my life!" Amy shouted, crying in the pillow, thinking about crawling out the window and running away. Luckily a tree wasn't next to it or she would have.

Aelita placed her forehead on the door then sighed. This is the only part about being a parent she didn't enjoy. The, 'I hate you' fights. This was her first one, and she was hoping it would be the only one.

"Amy. Please stop and open the door," Aelita said to her again. She wasn't using an angry tone, more concerned than anything. She knew Odd did the ornament, it had him written all over it, but she'd deal with him later.

"Should I get the house keys and open the door?" Helen asked. Aelita shook her head.

"I think it's better to wait her out then talk to her. Than break in and piss her off more," Aelita said. Helen nodded, because Aelita was right, and she knew how to handle her own daughter.

* * *

An hour passed quickly. The broken glass downstairs was cleaned up. They didn't want Kelly or Kaylie, or anyone else to step in it on accident. Bianca brought Aelita coffee because Aelita didn't want to move from the door. If Amy cracked and let her in, she'd want to be there. No matter how long it took.

Odd walked up the stairs and crouched next to Aelita. "This is my fault. If I'd known this would happen, I would've broken it myself."

"Not now Odd. I have an issue to deal with. This is between me and my daughter whether you started it or not. I feel like this is more about me than the picture. The picture just pushed her to say so."

"Do you need anything?" Odd asked.

"Besides a miracle?" Aelita asked. "I've never had one of these fights. She said she hated me," Aelita said then started to cry.

"She didn't mean it Aelita. She's just upset, that's all. I'm sorry." Aelita lifted her head up to look at him.

"Mom," Amy said from the other side of the door. Aelita snapped into action. Time to play mom.

"Yeah," Aelita asked slightly choked from her tears.

"Please don't cry," Amy said to her. Then Aelita heard a click. The door was unlocked. Aelita stoop up, turned and knob and pushed. It swung open.

"Good luck," Odd said to her. Aelita nodded, and then closed the door.

* * *

Aelita closed the door to Amy's room behind her and saw her on the bed. She was cuddling with the pillow tightly. The pillow was soaked with tears, but it didn't seem like Amy was crying anymore. But she still wasn't just fine.

Aelita sat on the bed and Amy pulled her head to look at her mother. Aelita looked at her, not sure when or where to begin. Nothing was coming. She'd been a mother for eight years and there was plenty she had to learn.

"Are you okay?" Aelita asked, and then realized that it was a dumb question.

"I'm fine," Amy said to her. "The ball I didn't really mind. It's just that I had a lot of other things on my mind that the ball made come out in a violent way," Amy said to her.

"What do you have on your mind?" Aelita asked. It was like a first date for a guy dealing with a child with a moment. Just ask questions.

"Mostly, Kaylie," Amy said to her.

"What about her?"

"It took me till this long to realize why I treat her the way I do," Amy said to her mother without looking at her. "I'm jealous."

"Why?" Aelita asked, not sure why Amy would be.

"Because, her parents love each other, mine don't. She was conceived in love, I wasn't. She gets to live with you year round, I don't. I don't even spend two months total with you a year."

"Amy, that's out of my control."

"I know, the custody issues," Amy said to her. "Dad gets more, because you didn't want me as much."

"Amy."

"Come on mom. If you really wanted me, you could have won. A jury would rather give a girl to her mother than her father. You didn't even take half custody. You took twenty five percent. Christmas and summer."

Aelita looked at Amy sadly. Amy was sad because she felt like Aelita didn't love her enough to fight her father about custody. "It's complicated…" Aelita started.

"No it isn't! If you loved me, you would have fought for me," Amy said to her. "And I know why you didn't. Because you had Kaylie."

"What does Kaylie have to do with any of this?" Aelita asked, not sure where Amy was going.

"You love her more. Face it mom. Ever since she was born, your attention has been on her. Always on her. If I got an A plus on a test it was over looked because Kaylie started to walk. If I had something to show you, Kaylie said her first words and all attention was on her. If something is going on with Kaylie, you ignore me completely."

Aelita sighed then realized something. Amy had a point. Sure Aelita was giving Kaylie attention, but she didn't think it was taking away from Amy's.

"And Mr. Puck. I liked him. But you didn't ask me, you just gave him to Kaylie. If something happens to Kaylie, you ground me and give Kaylie a kiss on the cheek. You just don't give me attention because I'm not Odd's daughter. I'm Jeremie's."

"I didn't ask you about Mr. Puck because two years ago you told me you didn't like dolls anymore. What do you mean about the other stuff?"

"You hate my dad. For all of the stuff he put you through, and me. You'll never let him live down the fact that every night when I was four years old all the way up to five, I cried myself to sleep hoping that maybe I could drown out your shouting."

Aelita crawled across and wrapped Amy in a hug. "I'm sorry," Aelita said to her. "I didn't mean to."

"Mean to what?"

"To make you think I love you less than your sister. There are no favorites with me. I love you both, with all my heart, and I'm sorry, for ever making you doubt that." Amy hugged her mother tighter and began to cry. "I love you."

"I love you too," Amy mumbled with her face pressed into her mother's chest.

"That was a hard time for me as well. I cried with you. When your father would leave, or go to sleep with me still angry at him for yelling, I'd go into your room, pull you out from under your bed, and tuck you in. By then you were already asleep, but I'd lie next to you, and cry. Because you were the only ounce of happiness I had back then, but I couldn't make you happy. You're what pulled my through."

"Mom."

"Do you hate Odd?" Aelita asked. She wanted to be sure that wasn't the problem.

"No. He's cool, he makes you happy. A lot happier you ever were with dad."

"Amy, what do you want me to do? I'll do anything," Aelita said to her. Amy began to think about what she really wanted.

"Well, I wouldn't mind living with you," Amy said to her.

"Then I'll call a lawyer. No matter how much your father groans and complains, I promise you'll live with me, and Odd and Kaylie until you grow up."

Amy smiled then hugged her mother tighter. "Thanks mom. That's all I want. That's all I ever wanted."

"I know. Now, are you going to cry all day, or celebrate Christmas?" Amy smiled then climbed off her bed.

"Mom, I actually don't mind when you treat me like a baby. So, don't be afraid to hug me or kiss me because you think I won't like it. I really do." Aelita smiled, then hugged and kissed her. "Not now," Amy said, and then smiled. Even if she seemed embarrassed, not too far deep she really wasn't.


	16. Not again

Aelita sat in the courtroom, Jeremie on the opposite side on her. When Aelita told her what Amy wanted, Jeremie wouldn't allow it. Stubborn as always.

"All rise," A security guard said to them. A judge walked to the stand and sat down.

"I understand the Mrs. Robbia wants increased custody over her daughter Amy Belpois. Is this true?"

"It is your honor. Amy told me she wanted to live with me during the school year, and with her father Christmas and Summer. But since me and Jeremie live so close to each other, I want split custody."

"Your honor, if I may," Jeremie asked. The judge nodded. "I'd like to fight for full custody." Aelita looked at him.

"Why?" The judge asked.

"Because, Aelita is an incapable mother," Jeremie said to the judge.

"How so?"

"Well only last week, while Amy was under the care of her mother she nearly drowned at an indoor pool."

"Mrs. Robbia, is that true?" The judge asked.

"Yes your honor, but I reacted as fast as I possibly could. I saw her go off the dive, and twenty seconds later not surface. My husband dove into the water and pulled her up."

"Why did this happen?" The judge asked.

"Well, Amy dove into the pool, and lost her necklace. Seeing it was on the bottom of the pool she dove after it. When she kicked off the floor of the pool, she knocked the drain cap off, and it was pulling her down."

"So, it was just an accident that you took care of to the best of your abilities," The judge said to her. Aelita nodded.

"She should have been watching her," Jeremie said aloud.

"If she noticed she didn't surface Mr. Belpois, she was obviously watching. Is this the only reason you think your ex-wife is not a good mother." Jeremie lowered his head. He had nothing because that was his only leverage.

"Your honor, Jeremie isn't a bad father, it's just he has a tendency to shout. For the last year of our marriage all we did was fight. Odd and I, sure we fight, but we never shout at each other. I think it's better if Amy is raised by Jeremie during the less stressful months."

"What," Jeremie asked her. Aelita looked at him and sighed. Stubborn as always.

* * *

An hour later the judge made up his mind. Aelita won. She was given more custody over Amy who now could move in with her. A few days before the break ended Amy permanently moved in for the rest of the school year.

Amy placed her coat on the chair in the Kitchen on the first of January, the day she was able to move in. They'd been home for a few days, and were starting to get comfortable again. Jason bags were packed to go back to his mothers. He'd be here again at spring break.

Sissi knocked on the door and Odd let her in. Walking into the kitchen, Odd got her up to date on their son.

"By the way, he has his first girlfriend," Odd said to her.

"Really," Sissi asked. Odd nodded then moved Amy's coat off the chair. Kaylie was walking by, hating her glasses when Odd saw her.

"Kaylie could you put in the closet," Odd asked her. Kaylie took the coat and began to drag it into the living room closet.

"What's her name?" Sissi asked.

"Krystal," Odd answered, "Really cute. And a year older than him."

"He's a stud already," Sissi said to him.

"Well of course," Odd said. He was his son after all. "She's Aelita's adopted parents, adopted daughter," Odd said, giving her a few more facts.

"Mom, I'll start putting things in the car," Jason said from the living room then walked out the front door with one of his suitcases. Aelita walked down the stairs after helping Amy with her room.

"Hey Aelita," Sissi said to her. Two and half years later, she really never hated her for being her husband's mistress.

"Here to get Jason?" Aelita asked. Sissi nodded.

"Kaylie got glasses I see. How was her birthday?"

"Okay. She got a few good things. Camera, ipod, one of them we had to hide."

"What did we hide?" Odd asked.

"The paint set. It had pink in it," Aelita said to him. "Where did you put that by the way?"

"Somewhere in clos...oh no," Odd said then ran off the chair and toward the closet he sent Kaylie with Amy's jacket earlier.

"What?" Aelita asked, following him. Odd knocked on the closed closet door.

"Kaylie?" Odd asked.

"Don't come in!" Kaylie shouted from the other side of the door. Aelita looked at the ground and groaned.

"I'll run a bath," Aelita said then walked upstairs. Odd opened the door to the closet to see that it was indeed the sixteenth time it had happened.

"Kaylie, not again."

---------------------------------

_**Sorry it was so short, didn't really have time to write much. That's the end of the story. Later on within the week, I'll be posting an extra chapter with deleted scenes and plans for future sequels. There is going to be one.**_


	17. Deleted Scenes

Deleted scenes for this story really doesn't include any alternate endings. Just a few alternate events and stuff left out. It ended how it should, but I'll at least list a few things that was left out from the final cut.

_**Alternate Events...**_

1. Kaylie was originally going to be three but I liked two better so changed it.

2. Amy at one point in the story got so jealous of Kaylie she stole Mr. Puck. Kaylie wouldn't stop crying on Christmas, feeling extremely guilty because she thought she lost the doll. In the original plan Amy gave it back and that's what started the conversation with Amy and Aelita at the end to make Aelita get more custody.

3. I was originally going to give Krystal a much more shady past. She had a brother who lived there as well but was always sneaking out. Krystal got in trouble with the cops and Jason covered for her and her brother. At the end Krystal told Odd what happened and at the end of the story last Jason knew she was going to a juvenile center and he was going to help her at her court hearing.

4. Sean was going to make a move on Aelita but I scratched it because I didn't want any major issues with Odd and Aelita.

5. At the end I wasn't going to say it but I was going to hint Aelita was pregnant again.

_**Sequels...**_

I don't have a title but I do have a chapter down. It starts where Aelita and Odd have had three more kids in thirteen years, a boy and fraternal twin girls, and Aelita at age fifty one is pregnant again. With not enough room in the house they plan a move. The stories main focus will be Kaylie trying to fit in at highschool, and side plots include raising the fifth child, a boy, and Amy marrying the wrong guy.

_**Stats...**_

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Until next time. Also note that at the top of my profile is a link to concept art of CL season four.


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